CV rallies for win in opener

LA CRESCENTA — Dramatics came early for the Crescenta Valley High girls’ soccer team.

Despite controlling possession for a large majority of the match, the Falcons found themselves trailing cross-town rival La Cañada before rallying with two goals — thanks to the clutch play of seniors Frances Boukidis and Dani Cardenas — in the match’s final six minutes to grab a 2-1 nonleague win in both teams’ opener on Monday night at Crescenta Valley High.

“We’re like TNT,” Falcons Coach Reggie Rivas joked, “we know drama.”

Boukidis, who will play for Northern Illinois in the fall, drew a foul that resulted in a penalty kick that Cardenas converted with 5:40 left, before Cardenas returned the favor, assisting on Boukidis’ game-winner with 1:45 to go.

“At halftime, we reminded them that we needed some players to step up,” said Rivas, whose team, which is ranked seventh in CIF Southern Section Division II, trailed 1-0 at intermission. “And the two players with a lot of experience stepped up.”

Cardenas, a returning All-Area and All-CIF selection, sent a spot-on pass forward to a streaking Boukidis on the right side. Boukidis had a step on a defender and crossed a low shot into the far corner of the net for the match-winner.

“It was a great pass,” Boukidis said. “She hit it perfect, perfect timing, perfect speed, perfect everything.

“I just slid it far post.”

Crescenta Valley, which defeated La Cañada, 1-0, a season ago, came out in a fashion predicted by Rivas.

The Falcons were a bit out of sync and had serious problems scoring.

At the onsent, the Falcons looked out of sorts passing and on defense, with the Spartans, ranked eighth in Division V, taking advantage, scoring on their first shot of the match.

Senior forward Thalia Gochez passed right to Megan Siepler, as both had position on their markers, and Siepler promptly angled a crossing shot left into the far post.

“We broke down really bad in the first half defensively,” Rivas said.

Offensively, the Falcons dictated the tempo, but couldn’t cash in their shots, despite a 26-5 margin in their favor.

“[With that many shots], you would think that we would have a better goal ratio,” Rivas said.

But it’s clear the Falcons are still a work in progress.