Gilroy girls kick in last soccer tune-up before League play
starts
Gilroy – One game. Eight players out. Five starters missing.
The math in the Gilroy girls soccer team’s match with Seaside didn’t exactly stack up in the Mustangs’ favor.
But the final score did.
Short-handed and without leading scorer Joann Olivo, Gilroy defeated the Spartans 5-0 in Seaside Thursday to bring its record to 2-4-2 as the team prepares to begin Tri-County Athletic League play in two days.
Gilroy head coach Jose Hernandez said injuries, illness and team rules were a few of the many factors that kept eight players out of the game.
“To come up with the 5-0 win (without five starters) kind of shows that we’re a little deeper than we expected,” Hernandez said. “We have a little more depth on our bench and it’s just promising.”
Midfielder Amanda Bruce netted two goals for the ‘Stangs while Nubia Diaz de Leon, Ariana Vera, and Brittany Barnes each scored one apiece. Bruce also had two assists and Barnes, Diaz de Leon and Kendra Sato each had one.
Margaret Burton posted the shutout in goal with one save – the only shot on goal the Spartans were able to muster.
In the first half, Seaside tried to stop Gilroy by using five defenders on the Mustangs. But Gilroy still took a 2-0 lead going into halftime. During the break, the Gilroy coaches and players game planned to so that team could be even more effective in the second half.
“We did a good job of adjusting at the half. We were very congested playing up the middle in the first half,” Hernandez said. “Then in the second half… we opened up and used the side and then just started attacking. So by the end of the first half, we’d worn Seaside down and in the second half, we just finished them off.”
Now the team will turn its attention to Notre Dame. The Mustangs and the Spirits face off Thursday at Monterey Bay State at 3:30pm in the TCAL opener. Hernandez said most of the five starters that were missing Thursday will be back for that game.
On Saturday, Gilroy will take on Live Oak at home at 10am. The much-anticipated matchup was originally supposed to take place Dec. 15 but was canceled because of a scheduling conflict.
Mustangs Notebook
Up next: Gilroy vs. Notre Dame
Where: Monterey Bay State
When: Thursday 3:30pm
