BHS Sinks Crescenta Valley

Burbank High's Arpi Khanpapyan takes a shot during a
Pacific League match against Crescenta Valley
(Alex Collins/ The Leader)

GIRLS’ WATER POLO: Burbank able to sink Crescenta Valley in sudden death overtime to capture league match, 10-9.
By Charles Rich
Published: January 16, 2009 Burbank Leader

BURBANK HIGH — Entering the season, many had predicted that the Crescenta Valley and Burbank high girls’ water polo teams would battle for supremacy in the Pacific League.Crescenta Valley entered the season having ruled the league for the past four seasons. Burbank came in looking to chip away at the Falcons’ armor. And Burbank did just that. Amberlynn Ullo scored the match-winning goal three minutes into sudden death overtime to give Burbank a 10-9 home victory against Crescenta Valley on Wednesday afternoon.

Ullo, a senior driver, also sent the dramatic match into sudden death after scoring with one second left in the second of two three-minute overtime sessions. Ullo needed to make an impact if the Bulldogs (10-4, 3-0 in league) planned to supplant the Falcons (8-5, 3-1) atop league.“We knew that we had to step it up at the end,” said Ullo, who finished with three goals. “On the winning shot, I didn’t think it went in because there was so much splashing. “I’m happy for my teammates and myself because we all played so amazingly. ”Ullo beat Crescenta Valley junior goalkeeper Sofie Munoz with a low shot for the winning goal.

Ullo and the Bulldogs path to victory didn’t come without controversy, though.After Crescenta Valley grabbed a 9-8 lead on a goal by senior hole/set Olivia Trimis with 56 seconds left in the second extra session, the Falcons appeared to have the match wrapped up after Munoz made a save. An alert Ullo went toward Munoz, who tried to run out the clock. Ullo stole the ball from Munoz and then scored. Crescenta Valley Coach Pete Loporchio, whose team is ranked No. 8 in CIF Southern Section Division VI, said Munoz had sole possession of the ball and that the goal should not have counted. “[Munoz] had the ball and [Ullo] grabbed the ball from her shoulder,” said Loporchio, who got four goals from senior utility player Taylor Kuh. “It’s not the right call because Sofie had possession of the ball. “Let the players determine the game.

It was an epic battle, and we played hard. Somebody had to come up on the short end. ”The Bulldogs, ranked No. 6 in Division VI, had to play catch-up throughout the bulk of regulation. Crescenta Valley took an 8-6 lead on a goal by Trimis with 6:16 left in the fourth quarter. Burbank closed to within 8-7 on a five-meter shot by Ullo before knotting the match at 8 on a tally by senior utility player Alex O’Connor with 1:24 remaining.

Burbank Coach Carlos Pelayo, a standout on the Crescenta Valley boys’ squad nearly a decade ago, said the Bulldogs needed to stay patient on defense to lead to a possible offensive surge. “Down the stretch, it was our defense that played well,” Pelayo said. “We knew coming in that CV’s an excellent team and they are well-coached, so we had to adjust on defense to give us a chance later on offense.“We played collectively on defense and that got us going on offense. We pushed them.“For the moment, we are in first place.

February will be the time, and you know that anything can happen in our league. You just don’t know how or when.”O’Connor scored four goals for Burbank, which got two from Arpi Khanpapyan and one from Mary Stepanyan. Crescenta Valley received two goals from Trimis and Adrienne Ingalla and one from Kim Fraisse.