Crescenta Valley girls’ soccer ends Arcadia’s streak of league dominance

Not since February of 2012 had the Crescenta Valley High girls’ soccer team defeated archrival Arcadia.

Not since January of 2013 had any Pacific League team gotten the better of Arcadia, the league’s four-time reigning champion that boasted a 43-game league winning streak entering Friday.

But thanks to the hustle and clutch play of the Natalia Victoria-led defense, the dramatics of goalie Nicole Jabourian and a game-winning score from freshman standout Brianna McReynolds, the Falcons were celebrating mightily after ending the Apaches’ league run of dominance with a 2-1 win at Arcadia High.

“It’s amazing. All of us, we have just wanted this so bad,” said Victoria, a senior captain. “Finally beating them feels amazing.”

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With Arcadia High’s #14 is Cammie Dopke chasing her, Crescenta Valley High School’s soccer player #3 Brianna McReynolds scores the go-ahead goal on a counter-attack play in the second half of away game vs. Arcadia High School at the Apaches’ home field in Arcadia on Friday, Jan. 22, 2016. CVHS won the game 2-1.   (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Crescenta Valley High School’s soccer player #2 Rachel Bird is congratulated by #16 Mallory Hill after Bird scored the first goal on a penalty kick in away game vs. Arcadia High School at the Apaches’ home field in Arcadia on Friday, Jan. 22, 2016. CVHS won the game 2-1.   (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Crescenta Valley High School’s soccer player #25 Kaitlyn Giddens moves the ball up-field with #2 Sara Gutierrez tight on defense in away game vs. Arcadia High School at the Apaches’ home field in Arcadia on Friday, Jan. 22, 2016. CVHS won the game 2-1.   (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Crescenta Valley High School’s soccer player #17 Hannah Weingarten, left, and Arcadia High School’s #15 Peyton Thomas go up for a header in away game for the Falcons vs. Arcadia High School at the Apaches’ home field in Arcadia on Friday, Jan. 22, 2016. CVHS won the game 2-1.   (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Crescenta Valley High School’s soccer player #2 Rachel Bird makes a pass under pressure from opposing player in away game vs. Arcadia High School at the Apaches’ home field in Arcadia on Friday, Jan. 22, 2016. CVHS won the game 2-1.   (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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Crescenta Valley High School’s soccer player #8 Sierra Lindman Marshall wins the header in away game vs. Arcadia High School at the Apaches’ home field in Arcadia on Friday, Jan. 22, 2016. CVHS won the game 2-1.   (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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With a tight defender on her back, Crescenta Valley High School’s soccer player #2 Rachel Bird tries to turn towards the opposing goal in away game vs. Arcadia High School at the Apaches’ home field in Arcadia on Friday, Jan. 22, 2016. CVHS won the game 2-1.   (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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With Arcadia High’s #15 Peyton Thomas chasing her and goalie Anais Uriarte blocking her, Crescenta Valley High School’s soccer player #3 Brianna McReynolds takes a shot on goal in the first half of away game vs. Arcadia High School at the Apaches’ home field in Arcadia on Friday, Jan. 22, 2016. CVHS won the game 2-1.   (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

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With Arcadia High’s goalie #00 Anais Uriarte left on the ground, Crescenta Valley High School’s soccer player #3 Brianna McReynolds celebrates her go-ahead goal on a counter-attack play in the second half of away game vs. Arcadia High School at the Apaches’ home field in Arcadia on Friday, Jan. 22, 2016. CVHS won the game 2-1.   (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

McReynolds drew a penalty kick in the first half that led to a Rachel Bird score and a 1-0 lead, but Arcadia’s Valeria Mejia tied the match on a penalty kick off a handball in the second half.

McReynolds drilled the game-winner when she got behind the backline after taking a pass from Victoria with 10 minutes left in the match.

“That was the best thing ever. It felt so great,” McReynolds said of her score. “Both my sisters played [at Crescenta Valley] and they never beat [Arcadia], so I really wanted to win for them.”

It was the sixth win in a row overall for Crescenta Valley (8-4, 8-0 in league), which emerged in first place in the Pacific League all by its lonesome by knocking off the second-ranked team in CIF Southern Section Division IV in Arcadia (10-3, 7-1).

“I’m so proud of the girls today,” Falcons Coach Tyraysha Peterson said. “Everybody stepped up and did their job.”

One player in particular who stepped up was Jabourian, who made nine saves, many of them of the outstanding variety. She also stopped a cross right in front of the net with eight minutes remaining, but a charging Apache stepped on her knee.

Jabourian was forced out of the game, her knee wrapped in ice, and Sydney Schoeller closed out the shutout and the euphoric win.

Arcadia had a definite advantage in the amount of scoring chances, but the Falcons bent, but only broke once and that came on the penalty kick.

“Natalia had an amazing game and kind of held the defense together,” said Peterson, whose defense also saw good performances from Lauren Cota, Sierra Lindman Marshall, Cassidy Lewis and Emily Jabourian. “As a collective unit, they just played together.

“Arcadia’s no joke. Their front line has some skill.”

The Falcons hung tough throughout, holding the Apaches to a season-low league scoring output (excluding a forfeit win over Muir), as a 3-0 win over Burroughs was the previous low.

Said Victoria: “We threw our hearts out there and just gave it our all.”

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Grant Gordon, grant.gordon@latimes.com

Twitter: @TCNGrantGordon