CVSC Under 19 Girls Under Soccer Team Wins Tourney

Lizzy Villa and Astrid Castaneda led the Crescenta Valley Soccer Club Under 19 Girls’ Soccer team to its second tournament championship this summer.

Last weekend, the girls came away with the title at the Nike-Arsenal Gunners Cup in San Bernardino as Villa notched three goals and an assists during the tournament while Castaneda added two goals, including the go-ahead score in the championship match.

The CVSC squad, which won the Wolfpack k Invitational in July, began its title run at the Arsenal Cup with a 1-0 victory over the La Verne Lazers. Villa scored the only goal off of a perfect cross from Claire Callister.

Goalkeeper Sarah Peters kept the Lazers scoreless with solid defensive support from Ashley McKenzie, Ally Combs and Courtney Anderson.

The CVSC team then put away Orange County’s JUSA Select Soccer Club’s team, 3-0, with a goal from Castaneda and two scores from Villa. Thanks to more dominating defense, including stellar play from Jennifer Gong, JUSA had very few scoring opportunities.

Coach Stephanie Villa’s team was able to advance to the championship game following a hard fought 1-1 tie with the host team, Arsenal FC White. Jessica Ontiveros scored in the first minute of the match off of an assist from Randi Rollofson. That goal stood up to preserve the eventual tie. Caity Sagesse, Sammie White and Christina La Marca kept the Arsenal’s defenders on their heels with aggressive midfield play.

In the championship game, the CVSC team found itself again facing the La Verne Lazers, and shortly into the match fell behind for the first time in the tournament after a foul in front of the goal led to a Lazers’ score off of a penalty kick.

But that goal ended up being the only score for the Lazers as the CVSC team came back to tie the score just before half-time on a goal by Callister, who weaved her way past a diving goalkeeper and ran the ball into the net.

Castaneda put the CVSC team ahead for good early in the second half and Combs added an insurance goal from an assist by Villa for the final 3-1 tally.

Some fine saves by goalkeeper Peters in the hectic final minutes of the contest preserved the the victory for the locals.