By David Fierro
September 11, 2024
Building upon last season’s success
That’s one of the goals of the Greenwich High School girls soccer team, which is coming off one of its most successful seasons in quite some time. The Cardinals qualified for the FCIAC Tournament in 2023, losing to Darien in the quarterfinals, then made an spirited run in the CIAC Class LL state tournament.
In the Class LL Tournament last fall, the sixth-seeded Cardinals earned a 5-0 win over West Haven in the second round and topped Southington, 3-1, in the second round to advance to the quarterfinals. The Class LL quarterfinal saw Greenwich give Staples all it could handle, as the Wreckers pulled out a dramatic 2-1 triumph, winning the game in penalty kicks, 5-4.
“We want to build off what we did last season,” said Greenwich junior Harriet Franks, who helped lead the Cardinals past Wilton in their home-opener on Monday. “I think we were the best soccer playing team in the FCIAC laast year and I hope we can get that level again this year with all the young players we have.”
The 2024 Cardinals are captained by seniors Skylar Aysseh, Taylor Carrescia Rachel Civitillo and Ellery Harte. Coached by Simon Rumbold, Greenwich began its season with a 2-0 road loss to Fairfield Ludlowe and a tough 1-0 defeat against multiple defending state champion St. Joseph in Trumbull.
Hosting Wilton on Monday at Cardinal Stadium, the Cardinals posted their first win of the season, earning three points in the standings with a 1-0 victory. Franks, a junior, scored the game-winning goal for GHS, tallying off an assist from sophomore Ashley Morris.
Greenwich had the better of the play in the first half, then Wilton rallied in the second half and the matchup hung in the balance thereafter.
“I thought we started okay, we were pressing the ball and doing things under control,” Rumbold said of the Cards’ play against Wilton. “But we just lost control about midway through the first half and it became a battle after that point. The girls did well to see it out.’
Against St. Joseph, which has been a dominant force in the FCIAC for more than a decade, Greenwich more than held its own. The only goal of the matchup came off a Cadets free kick.
“They battled, the aggression the organization – that was great,” Rumbold said of the St. Joseph game.
Carrescia is a forward, as is Aysseh. Ellery Harte is a defender and Civitillo plays in the midfield.
Carrescia was active throughout from her position at right wing in the Cards’ home-opener versus Wilton.
“It definitely wasn’t our best performance, our game against St. Joe, the intensity was great and we and set a high precedent for our team,” Carrescia said following the home win against Wilton. “We started off the season with two of arguably the best teams in the FCIAC, so coming off of that, it’s a tough spot to start in. But I think we showed great resilience against St. Joe’s and even in Ludlowe, there were some great moments. I think this is going to be a really good season for us.”
Meghan Ross, Julia Acosta, Adriana Jones and Brooke Wilkowski served as the Cardinals’ 2023 senior captains. Acosta and Emma Abbazia received 2023 All-FCIAC First Team honors, while Wilkowski was an All-FCIAC Second Team selection, along with Meghan Ross, who also graduated this past spring. Carrescia and Anna Lenschow, a junior, received All-FCIAC Honorable Mention recognition in 2023. Acosta is playing soccer at Fordham University and Ross is playing soccer at Franklin & Marshall. Abbazia is continuing her lacrosse career at the University of the Maryland.
Aysseh, Carrescia, Alexandra Cimador, Civitillo, Lauren Dionis, Sophia Fryer, Harte, Lauren Huang (goalie), Ella Morris, Abigail Vandervoom and Caroline Van Hell are Greenwich’s seniors this season. Franks, Julia Gustafsson, Lenschow, Madison Utzinger, Ella Whitridge and Madeline Young are the squad’s juniors.
Gabriella Cimador, Chloe Gandler, Kenna Harlow, Ashley Morris, Shay Sippel and Montserrat Thompson are sophomores and Taylor DeVries is a freshman.
“There are a lot of gaps to fill considering a lot of our main goal scorers from last year left, but there’s a lot of young people that are going to fill it,” Franks noted. “So, I think if we work together, we can get it done.”
Greenwich hosted Bridgeport Central today and will visit FCIAC rival New Canaan on Friday.
“Our captains are doing great in terms of leadership,” Rumbold said. “They have done really well. The team is working together well.”
