A single goal early on was the difference in Tuesday’s CIF Southern Section Division IV wild-card playoff match between the Burroughs High girls’ soccer team and Brentwood at Memorial Field.
The only tally came in the third minute and was knocked into the back of the net by junior defender Emily McHorney on an assist by freshman forward Lauryn Bailey.
“Basically we like to play defense first, but we also like to push off at the same time,” McHorney said of the win. “Being cautious, but not too cautious at the same time.”
Just prior to McHorney’s 15-yard blast that made it 1-0, sophomore midfielder Olivia Cashman’s 35-yarder caromed off the crossbar.
Burroughs, which placed second in the Pacific League and also won its first playoff match since 2009, will travel three hours to Santa Ynez (16-1-1) for a 3 p.m. first-round clash on Thursday.
“We probably could have made it a little easier on ourselves by putting away a chance or two,” Burroughs coach Brady Riggs said. “The thing this team does so well is when we get a lead, we’re so experienced, the girls play so well as a group and they make really good judgments on the field.”
In the fifth minute, senior defender Gabby Soofer had a 41-yard free kick for the Eagles (9-6-5 and fourth place in the Gold Coast League).
But the Indians had the next three boots that included a 40-yard free kick from senior defender Anna Kasper in the sixth minute, senior forward Catrina Villalpando’s 30-yarder in the sixth minute and senior defender Natalie Celio’s 30-yarder in the eighth minute.
Brentwood junior forward Kelly Tipton had a 20-yarder in the ninth minute, only to see Burroughs (15-2-3) rattle off seven kicks that included Cashman’s 30-yarder in the 11th minute, Cashman’s 35-yarder in the 13th minute, sophomore forward Trinity Vournas’ 25-yarder that sailed wide left in the 16th minute and senior midfielder Maddy Sena’s 40-yarder in the 20th minute.
The other kicks were junior midfielder Abbie Riggs’ 35-yard laser three minutes later, sophomore defender Orla Giffen’s 35-yarder that scooted wide right in the 24th minute and sophomore defender Ava Kramer’s 25-yard blast in the 26th minute.
“The thing we’ve done is we’ve been able to play the way we need to win,” Riggs said. “We’ll be ready to go. I’m really confident in how they’re doing.”
Sophomore midfielder Ava Deconcini broke the streak with a 25-yarder in the 29th minute for the Eagles.
But Bailey had a 25-yard bullet in the 31st minute and Villalpando’s rebound in the same minute hit the crossbar.
Junior defender Clair Altman delivered a corner kick for Brentwood in the 35th minute followed by freshman and teammate, midfielder Sadie Sarkisian’s 15-yarder.
Kramer then added a 35-yarder that was too high in the 36th minute and Giffen tossed in a 30-yarder a minute later.
Soofer’s 41-yard free kick in extra time was the last attempt in the opening half.
The Indians then began the second half by collecting four straight kicks and they included Riggs’ 35-yard free kick in the 45th minute, Bailey’s 21-yard free kick a few minutes later, Riggs’ 15-yarder that nailed the upright in the 49th minute and Riggs’ 20-yarder that drifted wide left two minutes later.
Soofer chimed in with a free kick that was headed by Deconcini in the 54th minute.
Deconcini had a 35-yarder in the 58th minute and then added a 15-yarder in the 65th minute.
Senior forward Issy Levi tossed in a header that struck the crossbar in the 66th minute for Brentwood.
Kasper’s 34-yard free kick in the 71st minute was off target and Giffen’s 20-yarder was wide left two minutes later.
Soofer’s 45-yard free kick was off target in the 74th minute, Villalpando’s 20-yarder missed in the 76th minute, and Soofer’s 38-yard free kick in extra time ended the fray.
Burroughs senior goal keeper Samantha Martinez was seemingly nothing less than brilliant, especially in the second half when the setting sun was directly in her face.