The 2013 season was a new experience for Capistrano Valley’s Riley Eggeman.
She was voted the Cougars’ captain. It was the first time Eggeman had received that honor, so there were new responsibilities for her.
So not only was she going to be held at a higher standard as a player, but also as a teammate.
“I had to become better at cooperating with and helping others,” Eggeman said. “I had to be just another teammate, and not act like I was the boss or something.”
2013 All-County girls lacrosse team
Aliso’s Elkins is 2013 girls lacrosse coach of the year
Capistrano Valley coach Ryan Gustafson said Eggeman led by example this season. It’s apparent her teammates followed her lead.
Eggeman scored 66 goals, recovered 116 ground balls and recorded 38 assists. Her season totals and the team’s success have earned Eggeman the honor of being selected the Register’s girls lacrosse player of the year for 2013.
“When I heard it from coach, I was excited,” Eggeman said of the award. “Especially with the talent level in Orange County.”
The leadership shown by Eggeman led the Cougars to a 14-4 season and an appearance in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Lacrosse Southern Section South Division playoffs.
Capistrano Valley’s four losses came at the hands of the three teams who finished ranked in the top three of the Register’s final top 10 for Orange County.
When asked about Eggeman, teammates, coaches and opponents tend to use the same words to describe her: hard worker.
“I’ve worked with Riley, and she’s one of the hardest working players in Orange County,” said Aliso Niguel coach Dave Elkins, whose team faced Eggeman twice this season.
Added Gustafson: “She works so hard. She’s the hardest working girl in the classroom and on the field.”
Eggeman said she put in some extra effort this season, hoping it would help her get recruited. She spent multiple hours a day working on her game.
With the effort that she puts out, it’s hard to miss Eggeman when she’s on the field.
Elkins said that he always made sure his players were always aware of Eggeman’s whereabouts on the field. He said he knew it would be impossible to shut her down, so he asked his players to try to limit her impact on the game.
“You never know what to expect with Riley,” Wolverines goalie Gigja Hollyday said. “She’s always dominant on the field.
“She has a really strong shot that she can take whenever she wants. She’s just such an aggressive player, she’s hard to stop.”
The dominance won’t stop anytime soon.
Eggeman, a junior, will be returning to Capistrano Valley next season and she’ll be planning to again cause havoc across Orange County lacrosse fields.
Contact the writer: amorales@ocregister.com
