Identical fate for Burbank girls’ soccer against Arcadia
ARCADIA — The last time the Burbank High girls’ soccer team matched up with Arcadia in the second game of its Pacific League docket, the Apaches dealt the host Bulldogs their first loss in league play.
In the rematch Friday afternoon, Burbank had the opportunity to do the same to Arcadia, which came in still undefeated in league.
However, despite holding on against the host Apaches into the second half, the Bulldogs fell, 2-1.
“We hung in there and we played a good game,” said Burbank Coach Eric Montoya, whose Bulldogs lost their first matchup with Arcadia by an identical 2-1 margin. “I think we needed to play with a little more heart near the end, but overall I think the girls are getting it.”
Burbank (7-4-3, 5-3-1 in league) kept the game scoreless for the first hour of play before yielding a goal by Apache Rachel Schroeder near the halfway mark of the second half. Schroeder scored off an assist by Vienna Rousset, who crossed the ball perfectly to the feet of the onrushing senior, who then one-touched the ball into the upper left corner of the net.
“A lack of work by the midfielders,” Montoya said of what led to the game’s first goal. “They’ve got to work back. You take a two-minute break and they are going to hurt you and they did. We got back lazy on defense and the girl was there and struck an amazing goal.”
Arcadia (10-5-1, 9-0) struck again some 12 minutes later on a score by Rousset. After the ball came in deep on a cross, it bounced around among the throng of defenders in front of the net before the senior tapped it in to go up, 2-0.
“It was coming toward me and then I was going to go get it, but the defense touched it away and I got tangled up with the forward and they just got it in,” Bulldogs goalkeeper Allison Tiegs said.
The Bulldogs got one goal back on Arcadia, which is tied for No. 10 in the CIF Southern Section Division III rankings, in the game’s final two minutes on a fabulous shot from Clarissa Guerrero.
The senior got the ball just above the outside corner of the box going down the right wing and hammered a long shot through the air that dipped down into the goalmouth to set the final margin.
“Honestly, I just shot the ball. I wasn’t expecting it [to go in],” Guerrero said. “Usually, I kick it way over, or way to the side; I was just happy I put it on frame this time.”
Just before Arcadia’s second goal, Tiegs made her fourth and most difficult of her five second-half saves. The junior found herself one-on-one against Rousset as she dribbled in from Tiegs’ left. At point-blank range, Rousset struck a raising shot that Tiegs flung her hands up to deflect over the goal.
The game was originally scheduled to be played at the Civic Center Athletic Field in front of Arcadia City Hall. However, it was moved to the field at the high school because of the outside chance it might rain and, as Arcadia coach Ryen Piszyk said, “the city doesn’t want its all-weather surface to be played on if it’s wet.”
Although the Bulldogs were unable to hang a loss on the Apaches, they are still confident going forward.
“It’s going to be a tight race down to the end,” Montoya said of the league finishing order behind Arcadia. “The only thing we need to do is get ready for CIF. Whether we finish third, second or fourth, it doesn’t really matter. That’s what we need to do.”