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Having secured third place in the Pacific Coast Athletic League Gabilan division and a postseason spot after winning the last two games of the regular season, the Hollister girls soccer team will now focus on its ability to possess the ball and create scoring opportunities to make a deep run in the playoffs.
“We need to keep the ball at our feet,” Hollister head coach Amber Painter said. “One-two touch, play more simple. No more long balls.”
The playoff brackets for the Central Coast Section have not yet been published. The first round of playoffs begin Feb. 21.
The direction from their coach was evident in Hollister’s Feb. 11 win over Everett Alvarez High with a score of 4-0. Despite Hollister’s possession of the ball the majority of the game, the goals didn’t fall until the second half.
Painter said what prevented the Balers from getting on the scoreboard in the first half was the team relying on throughballs that were too long.
Senior midfielder Zamaya Rivera said the Balers’ loss to Monterey High by a score of 1-0, and two losses to Salinas by scores of 2-1 and 3-1 taught them that it’s important to score early.
“I think we just need to play with more urgency and get those goals early because we can’t go into the playoffs or the next game as a second half team,” she said. “We have to come out strong from the start in order to win.”
Despite their concerns of not scoring early in the game, the Balers, with a league record of 8-3-1, 12-4-1 overall, have been shut out only by Monterey in their loss on Feb. 5. The team has scored at least three goals in 10 games, including 10 goals against Rancho San Juan High and 11 against Evergreen Valley.
And the goals are coming from a variety of players and in a variety of ways. Four different players scored against Everett Alvarez.
Painter said sophomore midfielder Samanta Alvarado-Castillo, who opened the scoring against Everett Alvarez with a 25-yard shot that zoomed by the keeper, has turned in a strong performance this season.
“She’s doing fantastic,” Painter said. “She’s making smart choices.”
Rivera, who scored the second goal, said having different goal scorers shows the depth of the team.
“We have players who can do the job,” she said. “It’s not just me. It’s not just Sam Alvarado-Castillo, it’s not just Manaya Rivera. We can come together and win.”
Painter said other surprising standouts include sophomore Sophia Williams and freshman Claire Lovejoy.
Defensively, the Balers can boast about having shut out teams in eight games. Painter attributes a lot of the success to the speed and communication between the two center defenders sophomore Mayah Arreola and senior Karen Alvarado-Castillo.
“They’re doing a great job communicating the two of them in the center and our outside wings are doing a great job possessing and going forward too, which is fantastic, but they are also holding the line and drawing a lot of offsides.”
BenitoLink thanks our underwriter, Hollister Rotary, for helping expand the sports coverage around San Benito County. Rotary is a nonprofit organization that conducts humanitarian projects, encourages high ethical standards, and works toward world understanding. All editorial decisions are made by BenitoLink.
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