Jim Riggio
LA CANADA HIGH --One thing was certain when Crescenta Valley High
visited La Canada High in a nonleague girls' soccer match Friday: the
winner was going to break out of a slump.
As it turned out, CV earned its first victory of the season, winning,
6-0.
"We've had a rugged start," CV Coach Bud Dain said. "We learned what
we have to do."
CV lost to Hart High, 5-1, Wednesday.
"The girls came to practice the next day and said what do we need to
do to get better," Dain said.
The Falcons (1-2-1), who defeat the Spartans, 1-0, last year,
benefited from the fact that La Canada lost goalie Lauren Arase to USC,
and other talented players.
"It's always a great game between the two schools," Dain said. "Last
year we got lucky we got and won in the last few minutes. I remember a
few years ago when they knocked us out of the playoffs."
The Falcons jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the sixth minute, as Shannon
Clissold beat La Canada's offsides' trap on a pass from Julie Herrold.
Clissold dribbled half the length of the field with the ball before
scoring.
La Canada (1-4) struggled to get generate any scoring opportunities,
but played well at times defensively.
The Falcons did not strike until the 33rd minute, as freshman Teby
Wammack followed up a shot by Dancin Gastelum, which was blocked by
Spartan goalie Amy Parker.
La Canada defender and co-captain Heather Zaimes said her team is
struggling, but should come on once the Rio Hondo League season begins.
"Winter break is our hell week, so we should improve immensely,"
Zaimes said. "We've never really played together. We lost eight starters,
so this is a completely different team."
CV took a three-goal lead in the 56th minute, as Herrold followed up
an initial shot that was blocked by a defender by putting the ball into
the right corner.
The Falcons struck again one minute later when a shot by Gastelum
sneaked past Parker.
Herrold scored her second goal in the 67th minute, as she dribbled
through Spartan defenders before putting the ball in past reserve goalie
Claire Serxner.
Hidalgo scored in the 74th minute to cap the Falcon scoring.
Dain felt the wind played a key factor in the match and against La
Canada.
"In the second half, they had the wind against them and it hurt them,"
Dain said.
Dain was glad to see solid play from four freshmen -- Wammack, Patti
Mitchell, Allison Bengtsson and Jorden Stanley.
"They're playing like juniors already," Dain said.
Michelle Petit, the other Spartan co-captain, said it would take time
before the Spartans can play to the level they would like to.
"We've lost a lot of players and we're trying to put our team back
together," she said.
