The 8-3 record is one large indication of how much improvement
the Gilroy girls’ soccer team has made in just one year.
Smaller indications come on days like Thursday.
The 8-3 record is one large indication of how much improvement the Gilroy girls’ soccer team has made in just one year.
Smaller indications come on days like Thursday.
Last season, Seaside was one of 15 opponents that beat the Mustangs on the field. This season against the Spartans, Gilroy’s only worry was making sure everyone got plenty of time to play.
“The nice thing about today was that everyone could contribute,” GHS head coach Jose Hernandez said. “Everyone got playing time.”
How far the Mustangs have come.
The same team that scored eight goals all of last season scored seven in its home shutout of Seaside. By halftime, the score was 5-0 and the match was all but over.
Sophomore Stephanie Glenn notched two goals in that half and was joined by Amanda Bruce, Brittany Barnes, Natalie Escalera, who also added three assists.
“It took awhile to get that first goal,” said Escalera, a junior transfer from Modesto. “But once we got the first, we were pumped up and it got us going.”
After halftime, goals were added by Kristie Figueroa and Sarah Fugo, who moved from goalie to the field for only the second time this season.
In a rout, things like that are able to happen.
“It’s enjoyable to see … and to be able to breathe a little,” Hernandez said. “But it’s also a new challenge. The girls understand this isn’t good enough. We have to potential – now we need to capitalize.”
The true test of how far the team has come will come once league play starts next month, Hernandez said. If that’s the case, the Mustangs have to be feeling pretty good with the dominating win over Seaside.
Earlier this season, those same Spartans handed a 1-0 loss to Hollister, last year’s TCAL runner-up.
“The nice thing is that we should be able to see that we can compete for a league title,” Hernandez said. “No girls’ soccer team at Gilroy High School has ever won a league title.
“So that’s definitely our team goal.”
Taste of victory
Even as they tallied another victory, the varsity Mustangs still weren’t the most excited team over on the athletic fields Thursday. Gilroy’s junior varsity players erupted onto the field in a raucous celebration of its first victory of the season, a 3-0 win over Seaside.
“We’ve definitely been waiting for this one,” head coach Rose Harmon said. “The girls have been working a lot of hard days for this. It’s just very exciting. The girls needed this … badly.”
The Mustangs got on the board first when Christine Camacho scored on an assist from Amanda Krueger and took a 2-0 halftime lead after a Maritza Gonzalez goal. GHS sealed the deal when Lorenza Gonzalez found Susanna Scotti for the third and final score.
Make it three
The Gilroy boys’ varsity team made it a clean sweep of the Spartans with an 8-0 blowout victory on the road.
Much like the girls’ team, the Mustangs coasted to a 5-0 halftime lead and were able to play every player on the team.
In a match dominated by the GHS forwards, senior Everardo Diaz De Leon led the way with three goals and an assist. He and his fellow senior forwards scored all eight of the game’s goals.
Marco Aguilar added the final tally, while Javier Canales and Joel Vera added two scores apiece.
The Mustangs (4-1-1) continue play in the annual Homestead Cup with Saturday’s noon game against Los Altos in Lincoln. To advance out of pool play, Gilroy needs a win and a Sequoia loss to Monte Vista Christian.
