Burroughs High’s Abbie Riggs is an extremely well-rounded soccer player with a multitude of talents.
One could argue that Riggs’ best asset is her ability to put the ball into the back of the net on free kicks.
On Tuesday at Crescenta Valley, the senior midfielder blasted a 21-yarder in the 79th minute that deflected off a Falcon player as the Indians rallied for a 2-2 tie in a Pacific League match.
“It’s my last game here in high school. I was so nervous,” Riggs of the game-tying tally. “This is really our first hard game. I just hit it as hard as I could. Burroughs is always a second half team.”
In the 76th minutes, Riggs let loose with a 20-yard free kick that didn’t find the back of the net.
It was tied 1-1 at the intermission when Burroughs sophomore forward Lauryn Bailey spotted junior forward Trinity Vournas, who then kicked the ball into the net in the 10th minute.
“It’s hard to do that on the road,” Burroughs coach Brady Riggs said of rallying against the Falcons. “We changed tactics midway through the first half. Even at the end, were trying to go full speed to win it.”
Riggs went on: “I think we did ramp it up in the second half,” he noted. “I can tell them what to do, but it’s up to them.”
The Falcons (3-1-3 and 2-0-1 in league) darted in front 2-1 on a goal from sophomore Julianna Cheney in the 63rd minute on a beautiful juke move.
The Falcons jumped out to a 1-0 advantage in the fifth minute when junior Kathryn Thamasian knocked home a penalty kick from 20 yards after a hand ball infraction.
In the second minute, Riggs had a kick stuffed and in the sixth minute Bailey’s 20-yarder failed to find the mark.
Burroughs freshman defender Samantha Valencia’s 35-yarder in the eighth minute was off the mark.
In the ninth minute, Riggs’ 35-yarder sailed wide left.
Valencia’s dribbler from 25 yards in the 19th minute didn’t find the goal.
Crescenta Valley freshman Rachel Park had a 20-yarder in the 25th minute.
Thamasian would have scored in the 28th minute, but sophomore Dana Ryan was offside.
Junior midfielder Olivia Cashman unloaded a 25-yarder in the 34th minute for the Indians (2-2-2 and 2-0-1 in league).
Sophomore midfielder Lily Gonzalez walloped a 20-yareder in the 48th minute for Burroughs and Gonzalez added a 20-yarder in the 49th minute.
In the 44th minute, Cashman had a 20-yarder while Falcon sophomore Chloe Ayala almost scored on a 10-yarder in the 61st minute.
Ryan delivered a 15-yarder in the 65th minute and Gonzalez unleashed a 15-yarder in the 73th minute.
