CV tops rival, 3-0
ARCADIA — During his initial three-year stint coaching the Crescenta Valley High girls’ soccer team, Reggie Rivas was never on the winning end of a match against Arcadia.
Now, in his second season back, the Falcons have won three consecutive matches against the archrival Apaches, capped with Monday’s 3-0 Pacific League win at Arcadia High, perhaps one of the more lopsided wins Crescenta Valley has put up against Arcadia in recent memory.
“Boy, it feels great to do it two years in a row,” said Rivas of defeating Arcadia on the road in consecutive seasons. “These girls are writing their own history.
“It’s special for the girls, it’s special for me. It means a lot.”
Sierra Rhoads and Dani Busta scored goals in the first 16 minutes of the match to take a commanding and quick lead, while Amanda Rose-Johnson put the finishing touches on the match with a score in the 77th minute.
“We just came out strong,” said Falcons goalie Apolonia Martinez, who tallied eight saves and went the distance in net to earn the shutout.
Just two minutes prior to Johnson’s goal, Martinez made a brilliant, sprawling save, diving to her left and stretching out to stop a rolling Arcadia shot.
“I really didn’t think I was gonna get to it,” said Martinez of stopping a shot that inevitably kept the Falcons’ impressive string of holding league opposition scoreless intact. “I just threw my whole body at it.”
The Falcons (10-0-3, 7-0-1 in league), the reigning league champions and fourth-ranked squad in CIF Southern Section Division II, sit atop the league standings with the hopes of making it through the league slate unbeaten.
“I’m very happy with what we’ve accomplished [so far],” Rivas said. “The goal going forward is to win league and to do that, we have to go undefeated.”
Arcadia (6-2 in league), fell behind in the eighth minute when Rhoads scored off a Brianna Ismale assist.
Eight minutes later, Busta let fly on a 30-yard shot from the left side, dropping it in for a 2-0 lead.
Soon thereafter, Arcadia found its rhythm offensively and played the match even, if not taking a slight advantage in possession against the Falcons.
But the Dana Dowse-led Falcons defense held strong and Martinez was clutch in net.
Then, Johnson put the finishing touches on the lopsided rivalry battle.
Danny Cardenas played a perfect ball up to Rhoads, who made a pinpoint cross to Johnson for the tally.
“Our whole goal is to be undefeated,” said Martinez, before adding that, in addition to the seniors preaching to the underclassmen about the rivalry, the team also attended the recent CV-Arcadia basketball game. “Everyone went to the basketball game on Friday and we were like, that’s what it’s all about.”