Everything seemed to be going according to plan for head coach Caitlin Young and the rest of the Greenwich High School girls lacrosse team in its second round game Thursday afternoon.
Big Red had a 6-3 lead with 6:23 left in the first half. But that’s when No. 2 seeded Conard High School took control by stifling the Cards on defense. The Chieftains scored the next eight goals and went on to beat Greenwich High School 13-10.
“I think we weren’t executing,” Greenwich High School head coach Caitlin Young said. “We got up and I don’t know if we got too comfortable or what, but we didn’t execute the full 50 minutes. We started playing tight and a little rushed. We had turnovers and weren’t placing our shots. It’s a catalyst of bad events.”
Big Red was led by senior Maddy Graves, as she finished with three goals and two assists. Also netting the hat trick for GHS was freshman Maggie O’Gorman. Senior Anne Dunster added a goal and an assist, while fellow senior Meghan Collins and juniors Claire Eschricht and Katie Harford added one goal apiece.
“I think we just came out flat today,” Dunster said. “We were on top in the beginning of the second half, but then we started to dig ourselves in a hole and couldn’t come out of it. After halftime they came out with more want and desire and we were just short.”
The Chieftans were paced by the stellar effort from senior Tessa Sinatro, as she led all scorers with five goals. Junior Marisa Haverty finished with three goals, while sophomores Gwen Geisler and Maya Feigenbaum added two goals each. Rounding out the scoring was junior Kelly Phelan, who netted one goal.
“Overall this season we all had some really great wins and some hard losses,” GHS senior goalie Kylie Ginsburg said. “This was tough because it’s not like how our team can play. It’s really upsetting to see it end on a bad note, but I am so proud of each and every girl and the seniors. I’m going to miss them so much.”
The Cardinals had Conard on the ropes early. With 8:31, Graves fired a shot in the back of the net for the 5-3 lead. Two minutes later Greenwich struck again when they got lucky and netted a goal off a mistake by the Conard goalie.
“Details matter and that was the difference,” Conard head coach Megan Cersosimo said. “We played as a team. When someone made a mistake, someone was there to pick the roundball up and get it out.”
But that’s when the tide changed. Led by the Chieftan’s tough defense, Greenwich was unable to get a good look at the net. Not only did Big Red’s high-powered attack go cold the rest of the first half, but Greenwich was held scoreless until the 6:13 mark of the second half, when Graves got in front of the net and hit the point-blank shot.
“They played really well on defense,” Cersosimo said. “Again, it’s not about an individual. This team is all about team work and that defense doesn’t work if everybody doesn’t have each other’s back. Greenwich is a great team that’s well coached, but we played like a team. Everybody did their job.”
However by that time, Conard was still in front 11-7 and grew the lead to 13-7 when Feigenbaum and Sinatro netted goals.
“It’s one of those things that on any given day any team could beat any team,” Young said. “We weren’t hot shooting and it was the deciding factor. We had some good looks and had the looks that we want and that we practiced. It just didn’t end up in the back of the net. We weren’t placing it and weren’t moving the goalie. That’s something we did in the first five minutes, but we kind of lost that.”
Big Red came storming back in the final minutes to get within three goals. Graves once again stole the show, getting two assists from Dunster and another one from O’Gorman.
To start the game, Greenwich was neck-in-neck with Conard. Only 25 seconds into the class L second round game, O’Gorman got the ball rolling with a goal off a GHS faceoff victory. However Conard responded when they netted the equalizer off a restart.
It looked like the Chieftains would take the lead, as Haverty charged towards the net, but solid defense by Greenwich junior Claire Loughran, junior Sloan Caan and senior Natalie Paletta stopped the threat before the ball got to Ginsburg.
“They definitely connected really well today,” Ginsburg said. “They’ve been playing together for a long time and have a really strong attack. They have a bunch of individuals that could come together and play as a team.”
With the loss, Greenwich ended its season a little earlier than Young and the rest of the Cardinals hoped. However it was still another standout season for Big Red.
“We have a great senior class that is irreplaceable,” Young said. “Our senior captains have been unbelievable. They are leaders on and off the field. They created a culture and leaving that legacy of where Greenwich will be in the future.”
For Young, the team’s overall teamwork defensively and on attack has been the most improved aspect of GHS.
“We have multiple threats and having that lacrosse I.Q. is big,” Young said. “We saw a few defenses where Maddy and Anne were taken out of the game and a few other people stepped up. I think our biggest improvement has been our lacrosse I.Q. because they became smart lacrosse players.”
But either way, they season was quite memorable for Young, in her first season with the Cardinals.
“I obviously would have loved to continue on, but it’s been an amazing experience,” Young said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better group to start with, from the seniors and the captains all the way down to our younger players. It’s been a great experience.”
“The coaching staff has been amazing,” Ginsburg said. “Everybody’s been really supportive and makes us believe in ourselves. She really makes us try and be the best that we can possibly be. We all worked so hard for ourselves and each other and for her especially.”
