Gilroy kickers shut out at home by Lady Balers, 7-0
GILROY – No matter the opponent, senior goalie Megan Olea has only one thing in mind, stopping every shot that is sent her way.
“You can’t let yourself get pysched out. You have to come in and say that you are not going to let anything get passed you,” said Olea, following Monday’s 7-0 home loss to league-foe Hollister.
Olea was expected to anchor the defense as the starting sweeper, but agreed to move between the pipes when the team needed another goalie. With Hollister on the offensive for mostly all of the 80-minute contest, Olea had her hands full, making several acrobatic saves.
“Goalie is good (for now), but I don’t want to play it all season. I want to get some action out on the field,” Olea said. “We switched our defense a little bit and we’re learning how to talk to each other.”
After winning in their opener 1-0 over Latino College Prep, the Lady Mustangs have ran into trouble against more skilled and experienced clubs. Lady Haybalers’ Jenny Rose Vandenberg (three goals) and Jenny Maheu (three goals) danced around the inexperienced Gilroy defense, combining for six goals.
“My main concern was that we came out so flat,” Hernandez said. “Hollister is an awesome team. We played two solid teams in our first two games (against Salinas and Hollister). … They gave us a clinic.”
The Lady Mustangs trailed 4-0 at the break and could do little to mount an attack in the second half, allowing three more unanswered goals.
“We can keep improving,” Olea said. “Even if we don’t pull one out this year, we’ll improve for next year and be stronger.”
Still Gilroy’s second straight lopsided loss will be even harder to rebound from.
“We’ll find out at practice tomorrow,” Hernandez said. “Our whole goal this year is to improve. As long as we work to improve, day in and day out.”
The rugged Tri-County Athletic League offers no breaks as the Lady Mustangs head to the Salinas Sports Complex on Friday to take on private power Notre Dame at 5:30 p.m.
