Last Friday, the Falcons came into their home game against the Monta Vista Matadors as underdogs with a league record of 3-1-2, compared to the Matadors, which stood at first place in the league with a record of 5-1-0.
But in the end, records didn’t matter, and the Falcons walked away with a 4-0 victory.
The game started off strong for the Falcons when junior midfielder Emma Merrill quickly maneuvered past defenders and scored a goal within the first 10 minutes..
Cheers erupted across the field as senior striker and co-captain Keatyn Spendlove received the ball and dribbled around two defenders, before slotting the ball straight into the back of the net. The scoreboard flashed 2-0 for the Falcons.
The Falcons continued to hold strong on the defensive end for the rest of the half. As Monta Vista’s right winger attempted to drive down the sideline just minutes after Spendlove’s goal, senior co-captain Misha Singla, who plays centerback, stepped in with a strong tackle to regain possession and stop the Matadors’ momentum.
With 10 minutes left in the first half, Merrill struck again, scoring from nearly 25 yards out with a powerful shot for the team’s third goal. Spendlove continued to threaten the Matadors’ defense, driving down the left side for another shot that narrowly missed the near post.
The Falcons didn’t let up. Junior midfielder Alisa Erbay drove the ball down the middle to Spendlove, whose shot was saved by the Monta Vista goalkeeper.
By halftime, the Falcons led 3-0 and entered the second half with confidence.
In the second half, the Falcons maintained their control over the ball and limited Monta Vista’s offensive strategies. Early chances in the first half were led by Spendlove, who attempted multiple shots and passes that were cut off. Thirty minutes into the second half, the Matadors pushed forward and attempted a shot that was caught by freshman goalie Riley Coss.
Quick passes along the sideline allowed the Falcons to keep pressure on their defense. The Falcons continued to search for openings and drove the ball through the middle to move closer to the goal. Off a through ball from Merrill, Spendlove finished with a shot that tapped the top corner of the net for the Falcons’ fourth goal.
“We’re a very young team, so we had to build up our chemistry with each other and our coach (Ben Maxwell),” Spendlove said. “But we’re already starting to see it and we really connect well with each other.”
The game brought the Falcons to third place in the league as the Matadors fell to second. The Falcons hope to continue their winning streak as they travel to play against Wilcox on Jan. 30.
