GILROY—Thursday’s game against Presentation was bittersweet for Gilroy’s four seniors. While the 9-1 win over the Panthers was exactly the ending they hoped for, the graduating Mustangs were still in disbelief that they had played their final game at the Garcia-Elder Sports Complex.
“It just hasn’t really clicked that this is our last home game on our field. It’s really crazy, but we’re honestly so blessed to have this team,” senior Katrina Carter said. “Everyone tried so hard; everyone had such a good attitude today. We all worked together and they made our last home game so amazing.”
“I wanted to end it with a bang,” added senior Tayler Silacci. “This is our last home game of our senior year; it’s just crazy. I was really pumped.”
Carter and Silacci combined for seven goals in the game—netting four and three, respectively. Carter had a hat trick at halftime and opened scoring for Gilroy in the 6th minute off a corner. Fellow senior Morgan Rogers took a shot with just over 15 minutes left in the first half, but Presentation goalie Jana Kadah got a pad on it to keep it out of the net. Carter was there to scoop up the rebound and delivered her second goal of the game to put Gilroy ahead 3-0.
Rogers had a couple shots on goal, but was unable to knock one in. She was key in the middle, however, setting up opportunities for her teammates en route to their victory.
“I think we really picked it up this game,” Rogers said. “The seniors played great together. Last year I was out for awhile, so it was good playing a whole season this year; it was a fun season.”
Carter scored her third goal with 2:04 left in the first off another Gilroy corner and Liz Clark capped off scoring with just 30 second left in the half.
Presentation scored it’s lone goal on a penalty stroke with around 11 minutes left on the clock to make the score 5-1 at half. The Panthers were awarded the stroke after Mustang goalie Jackie Jauregui charged out the net to prevent a breakaway, knocking a Presentation player down in the process.
“(I was just thinking) that I can’t let any go in,” the senior netminder said. “I let one, but all that matters is that we won. We played as a team and it was just wonderful.”
Silacci scored three stellar goals for the Mustangs, including the first of the second half which sailed passed Kadah in the 39th minute. The senior found herself in a one-on-one situation and took full advantage of it, blasting a shot to the far corner to put Gilroy up 8-1 at that point.
Silacci scored the final goal of the game—with just 30.8 second remaining—when she poked the ball into the back of the net.
“(Coach) Adam (Gemar) has taught me everything: respect, attitude. I wouldn’t be standing here, I wouldn’t have scored three goals today, I wouldn’t be going to college if it wasn’t for Adam,” Silacci said. “My teammates, even on hard days, I would come to practice and they would just cheer me up. It’s really a big team effort.”
Carter’s fourth goal came with 8:41 left in the game to put the Mustangs up 7-1. Maddy Cox also recorded a goal for Gilroy off a corner eight minutes into the game, giving them a 2-0 lead. Kadah dived to save the goal, but Cox’s shot glided right passed her for the score.
Gilroy’s defense was stellar as well. In addition to Jauregui’s solid netminding, Emily Boykin and Ellie Sausen were vigilant and sent pass after pass downfield to deny the Panthers of scoring opportunities.
Gilroy is currently awaiting its seeding for the Central Coast Section playoffs. Seeds and brackets will be announced Monday, with play beginning Thursday.
No matter who the Mustangs meet in the playoffs, Gemar said he’s confident his girls are up for the challenge.
“It’s all just how you play at that moment,” he said. “On any given day, it’s just energy. If the girls have it, we’re going to win.”
