Under the rainy sky on Feb. 5, the Arcadia High School (AHS) Girls JV Soccer team played a tiring match against Crescenta Valley High School (CVHS). Despite the wet field and high chance of slipping, both teams pushed on in hopes of bringing back a win for their school. 

CVHS showed off their dribbling skills in the first half of the game. Although both teams demonstrated great efforts of scoring, CVHS combined their well-practiced maneuvering skills with long passes across the field. This cohesive teamwork gave them a clear advantage, resulting in most of the first half being played on their scoring side. However, AHS soon turned this around, stepping up their defense as well as making shorter, quicker passes. Using these techniques, they were able to get the ball closer to the goal and simultaneously block CVHS from receiving

The first match also saw the ball go out of bounds countless times. CVHS demonstrated a corner kick about 20 minutes in. However, amidst the chaos and pressure of the game, the ball ended up rolling back out. 

AHS made a couple shots, missing two of them and scoring one. CVHS also made many shots and scored only one. The first half ended in a tie of 1-1. During the 10 minute half time break, the teams regrouped to go over their strategies and replenish their strength. Adding words of encouragement to each other, they arrived back on the field for the second half, determined to win.

“I try to stay positive and communicate well with my teammates,” said sophomore Zaila Zhang when asked how she overcomes challenges. “A key strategy to gaining an advantage is to think quickly and have lots of confidence in yourself.” 

The second half began with the Apaches starting off very strong, with smart passes in between the CVHS teams’ legs to get across the field. This led to extremely close goals for AHS as they pushed hard to challenge the opposing team’s goalie, putting immense pressure on CVHS. These close goals called for goal kicks from both sides. 

This half showed even more corner kicks than the last half, all of which were done by CVHS. AHS, however, did not make the same mistake as the first half and took the ball down to their side, by having surrounding players around the ball. The second half also displayed no clear advantage for either side. Both teams ran with unlimited stamina, pausing only when the whistle was blown. 

In spite of their resolve, a reason for the unclear advantage was due to the fact that there were moments where neither team attempted to get the ball. This not only wasted time, but also increased the risk of the other team scoring a goal. 

With two minutes left on the clock, CVHS scored the final tie-breaker, making the score 1-2. Members of AHS congratulated the other players, despite the loss. Their positive attitude and good sportsmanship really shined during this intense match, highlighting the girls’ team efforts. It gave them something to reflect on and learn from, and figure out what went wrong.

When asked about how she analyzes opponents’ playing styles, freshman Sophia Khan said, “It’s mostly their body language. If they like to use their body more and push you, then you know that they’re a physical player, but if they’re more shy with the ball, then you know you’re able to body them. I think if you watch the player beforehand in the warm up, you can get a good feel for how good or bad they are. Footwork also helps with getting an advantage.” 

Despite the loss, the Apaches continue to work hard and achieve their goals for the upcoming semester. Be sure to cheer them on at their next game!