CV offense stays hot

LA CRESCENTA — Goals have not been in short supply for the Crescenta Valley High girls’ soccer team early on in this Pacific League season and that was bad news for Burbank when it traveled to CV Friday.

The Falcons got goals from a number of different scorers and in a number of different ways, cruising to a 5-0 victory over Burbank. Crescenta Valley Coach Jorden Schulz said it’s been a case of practice makes perfect when it comes to her team’s offense this year.

“We have been working on [offense] a lot,” Schulz said. “We are making some changes and trying to adjust some people in a few places and see how it works or doesn’t work. Today it worked.”

For the second game in a row, Crescenta Valley, which defeated Glendale, 4-0, on Tuesday, got all of its goals from different scorers.

“It didn’t come out of thin air, though,” Schulz said. “It doesn’t come without a lot of work. We have been working on it from last year to this year — it’s a carry over thing.

“They probably hate the drills that we do, but people need to get to where they need to be. If they’re in the right place, then you should have a lot of different goal scorers, it shouldn’t be just one girl making everything happen.”

Burbank Coach Eric Montoya had a different explanation for the Falcons’ offensive outburst Friday.

“We gave up two goals overall, I believe,” Montoya said. “[The referees] missed three offside calls. We had no calls go our way, there was a handball in our box that wasn’t called.

“I think we were pretty evenly matched. I just think it’s too bad the referees destroyed the game. It happens in soccer a lot. Unfortunately, it’s happening more and more.”

Crescenta Valley (4-3, 2-0 in league) created two scoring opportunities in the first 10 minutes of the game, but both chances were squandered with off-target shots. The chances kept coming for the Falcons, who got on the board in the 18th minute.

It all started with a through pass from CV’s Itzia Villegas that allowed Sharon Lee to outrun two Burbank (4-5-1, 0-2 in league) defenders. The Bulldogs goalie ran out to grab the ball in traffic, but only got a hand on it. The deflection went right to Villegas, who knocked in an easy goal for a 1-0 lead.

Solid passing sparked another Crescenta Valley breakaway, this time a two-on-none, in the 34th minute. The Falcons’ Mallory Carcich played the ball down the left side of Burbank’s box to an unmarked Jacque Phinney, who crossed the ball down the right post to a streaking Karina Costilla. Costilla knocked it in for a 2-0 lead.

“It’s communication, everyone is talking and it works really well, especially when we know our plays,” said Costilla, explaining her team’s hot start on offense. “We have been working on our set plays a lot.”

CV scored again two minutes later when Mea Zuiderveen jumped in front a Burbank defender attempting to clear the ball. The ball went off Zuiderveen and into the box, leaving her on a breakaway for another goal.

There was no slowing the Falcons down in the second half, as they scored two more goals off corner kicks. The first goal came from Lisa Kang in the 55th minute and the next was on a header from Whitley Boller in the 78th minute. Both goals were played in by Olivia Bird.

Defense was another strong point for Crescenta Valley Friday, as Burbank had just three shots, one on goal, in the game. Things have been going the Falcons’ way a week into league, but Schulz knows they can’t get ahead of themselves.

“We know that coming back from being league champions that everybody is gunning for us,” she said. “We are going to get everybody’s best game. The second that we don’t do our jobs is the second we are going to lose.”

Natalie Muller was a bright spot for Burbank at center defender. The junior spoiled a lot of promising CV attacks, but the Bulldogs defense still struggled while dealing with injuries.

“Right now three of my starting defenders are hurt and I am waiting to get them healthy again,” Montoya said. “Overall, I think we played good, but we just got outplayed, bottom line.”