Gilroy High field hockey stays unbeaten, girls volleyball takes
first in the Silver Division at the Mustang Classic and girls
tennis whips North Salinas
MONTEREY – Playing without its top player hasn’t been an issue yet for the top field hockey team in the Central Coast Section.
Winning games over Monterey and North Salinas last week, the Gilroy Mustangs are now 16-0-1 despite taking to the field the last two weeks without senior midfielder Laura Spellman, who is out with a lower leg injury.
Coach Adam Gemar said he is confident his team will be able to persevere even if Spellman is unable to return this season.
“Confident, absolutely,” he said. “It’ll be just a little bit rougher road.”
With players such as Dani Hemeon, Elise Ogle and Jenna Vivian stepping up, the Mustangs won both of their most recent contests in closer fashion than usual – Monterey 5-0 and North Salinas 4-1 – but by enough of a margin to limit any serious concern.
“Ogle and Dani and Vivian are pretty consistent in and out of games and in and out of practices,” Gemar said. “I don’t see any drop-off in their play.”
Ogle has been on fire of late, recording two assists and an unassisted goal in the first half of the win at Monterey on Friday, and two goals and one assist in the victory at North Salinas on Wednesday.
“Elise is good right now. She’s playing well,” Gemar said. “She’s always been a star on our team ever since her freshman year. I’m glad … that hasn’t affected her play.”
Ogle’s assists on Friday went to Jennifer Rose and Alex Rose. Vivian scored the fourth goal of the game on an assist from Alyssa Kroeger, who then scored a goal of her own on assists from Emily Costa and Tayler Schaut.
Jennifer Rose and Aubrey Young each had a goal in the win against the Vikings two days earlier, with Vivian recording assists on both scores.
Gilroy had 14 corners in the victory over North Salinas, converting two of them.
“It seems like 14 corners is a lot and it is,” Gemar said. “We should be scoring on more, but one every seven is an all right stat.”
Girls Volleyball
GILROY – Coming off a three-set victory over North Salinas on Thursday (24-26, 22-25, 21-25), Gilroy High’s varsity girls volleyball team finished the weekend strong by rebounding from two pool play defeats to win two in a row and take first place in the Silver Division of the Mustang Classic Varsity Tournament, hosted at GHS.
After dropping matches to Lincoln of San Francisco (22-25, 25-20, 5-15) and Milpitas (22-25, 25-15, 17-19), the same Milpitas team that knocked Gilroy out of the Central Coast Section playoffs last season, the Mustangs beat Half Moon Bay (25-19, 25-20) and Watsonville (25-16, 25-19).
It was the first trophy for the team this season.
“It was a very long day with a lot of waiting in the middle,” Gilroy coach Sue Grogan said. “In pool play, Gilroy was one of the few teams to have to play three games. Then, because of being seeded first in Silver, there was a bye for the first round. So, there was a lot of waiting.
“But they played to the end and had something to show for it at the end of the day.”
Loryn Ferreira was chosen as one of the most outstanding hitters by coaches at the event.
Girls Tennis
GILROY – Gilroy High’s girls tennis team had no problem dispatching North Salinas on Thursday, winning all seven of its matches.
All four singles players won in straight sets, with only the No. 3 doubles paring needing a tiebreaker to win.
The Mustangs will be back on the court Thursday at 4 p.m. against Alvarez.
Singles
Meha Munshi beat Renee Musgrove 6-1, 6-3
Emily Castro beat Jeanilyn Miha 6-2, 6-1
Monica Liu beat Rosa Perez 6-1, 6-1
Alissa Castro beat Amanda Porrez 6-1, 6-2
Doubles:
Kim Johnson and Holly Hunter beat Winnie Chen and Racheal Wilkinson 6-1, 6-1
Melanie Morelos and Ashley Nguyen beat Leeane Harden and Helen Jia 7-6, 6-3
Cristina Carrillo and Viviana Mendez beat Brenda Santana and Celina Ramirez 6-0, 4-6, 10-5
