Cooper nets game-winner in 1-0 home victory over York
GILROY – Nothing was going to keep senior attack Amanda Cooper from playing in the Lady Mustang field hockey team’s home opener against York. Not even her sore right ankle. The same ankle that she severely sprained last year – forcing her to miss half the season – and the same ankle that she recently re-injured during tryouts.
Cooper got her weak limb taped up and she was ready to go. The steady stickhandler braved out her injury and scored the game-winning goal in the Lady Mustangs’ 1-0 victory.
“It felt better because it was taped,” said Cooper, who has continually strained her ankle since she first hurt it at age 12. “I’m kinda used to it.”
Cooper – who is a three-year varsity field hockey player – scored the game’s only goal early in the first half. But it was junior teammate Elena Ramirez who she gave all the credit for the goal.
“Elena kept it in there and I just happened to put it in,” Cooper said.
Ramirez, a team captain, kept the ball in the circle – forcing the York goalie to come out. Ramirez collided with the goalie and the two fell to the ground. An opportunistic Cooper jumped on the loose ball and pushed it across the goal-line.
“We expect a lot from her,” said co-head coach Erin Gemar of Ramirez, a converted forward moved to center midfield. “She really did move the ball well.”
After each game, Gilroy gives a player the stick of the game and this one went to Ramirez for her relentless stickwork and ball-handling throughout.
“They all played really well, but only well enough to win. It was not necessarily their best game,” said Gemar as her co-head coach and husband Adam Gemar addressed the team. ” I’d rather not cut it so close.”
Senior netminder Sam Sicard recorded her first shutout between the pipes this season – making several key saves by coming out and deflecting the ball away from the goalmouth.
“That was a big thing for me and over the weekend at Willow Glenn I didn’t come out as much. I wasn’t as aggressive,” said the veteran goalkeeper. “It does feel good (to get the shutout). There will be many more to come.”
York proved to be a formidable opponent in the preseason affair. The visitors generated several scoring chances – but they were all thwarted by the stingy Gilroy defense and Sicard.
“I think we’re a strong team. We played pretty well,” Cooper said. “This should be a good season. I think we’re starting off real strong this year.”
The Lady Mustangs started off their preseason with an entry into the Willow Glenn Jamboree. Although they came out without a win (tying three games and losing two), the coaching staff was pleased with their efforts against the section’s top teams – including Saint Francis and Mitty of the San Jose League.
“We were looking for some wins, but we never went through that tournament without getting crushed. This time we lost 1-2 and 0-1, and then tied 1-1, 0-0 and 0-0,” Gemar said.
Gilroy’s rough preseason schedule also included a 6-1 loss to perennial CCS Champion Los Gatos as well as a victory over neighboring rival Live Oak – which moved out of the Tri-County Athletic League to test itself amongst the section’s best in the San Jose League this season.
“Definitely playing up helps,” Gemar said. “They performed very well. York gave them a fight.”
This season, the T-CAL teams will meet three times. However, the first meetings are considered pre-season before the regular season begins Sept. 23 when Gilroy will face the same York team at 3:30 p.m.
