New Canaan Ties Fairfield 3-3
Photo: Maggie Murphy drives toward the goal during New Canaan’s 4-0 win against the Stamford Hurricanes on Sunday.
On Saturday the New Canaan Girls U9 Red faced off against Fairfield Team-1 in the peak afternoon heat. Both teams battled for control of the ball, but it was New Canaan that struck first. Lexie Tully intercepted a Fairfield throw in and delivered a beautiful cross to Ava Pertusiello who fired a shot to the low left corner of the net. The Red scored again off a corner kick from Lila Volpe. Tully saved the ball from going out of bounds and connected with Pertusiello in front of the net, who launched a high shot to the top right corner of the goal.
New Canaan’s defense held tough with Maggie Murphy, Devon Russell and Kailee See frustrating their opponents and clearing the ball up the field. Isabel Cavanagh and Tema Wagner played exceptionally well at mid-field and hustled back to help the defense and disrupt Fairfield’s offensive attempts. First half goalie Kathryn Norton made several difficult saves, but Fairfield was able to score their first goal off a scramble in front of the net. Fiona Mueller initiated New Canaan’s response with drive down the middle and hard shot that rebounded off the goalie. Tully was in perfect position to pick up the rebound and put New Canaan up 3-1 at the half.
Fairfield came out aggressive in the second half and scored early to make it a one goal game. As the half progressed, both teams seemed to be laboring under the heat. The play was very physical with control of the ball changing hands several times. However, Fairfield was able to capitalize once again just before the final whistle and avoid defeat with a 3-3 tie.
New Canaan blanks Stamford 4-0
After a short rest, New Canaan came out Sunday fired up for their last game of the spring season against the Stamford Hurricanes. Isabel Cavanagh ignited the offense when she placed a perfect pass up the field to Kelly Polacek who beat two defenders and fired a hard shot in the goal. As was the case all season, New Canaan’s defense was a brick wall. Defenders Kathryn Norton, Maggie Murphy and Alexandra Gelvin, along with goalie Lexi Tully, proved impervious and led New Canaan to a 1-0 lead after the first half.
The Red came out in the second half determined to finish the season off strong. Unsatisfied with a one goal lead they never let up and dominated with their stellar passing game. Devon Russell continued the offensive momentum when she connected with Tully who drove the ball in the lower right corner. Then it was Polacek again as she raced down the right sideline and launched a perfect shot in the high left corner. The offense was relentless as Lila Volpe and Fiona Mueller peppered Stamford’s goal with shots. Much like the day before, New Canaan’s final strike began when Katie Quill penetrated Stamford’s defense and took a hard shot that rebounded off the goalie. Polacek was in the perfect position to pick up the rebound and drilled the ball home for a 4-0 lead. New Canaan held Stamford scoreless for the remainder of the game thanks to the combined goal tending efforts of Mueller and Ava Pertusiello.
The U9 Girls Red ended their incredible spring season with a final record of 6-1-1.
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New Canaan U9 Boys Black Defeats Shelter Strikers at Home
On a brutally hot Sunday afternoon, Co-Captains Matthew Stimpson and Nate Ehrlich, along with Alex Werner, anchored the offensive line for New Canaan in a hard-fought 3-2 win against the undefeated Shelton Strikers.
Matthew Stimpson charges the ball. Contributed
At the outset, the teams battled for the ball before Stimpson broke away with the ball and made a fantastic pass to center right Ehrlich, who scored the first goal.
New Canaan kept the offensive pressure on in the first half with two shots on goal by Benji Sturcke. The hometown boys deftly moved the ball, and with great passing continued to pressure Shelton under the sweltering sun.
Halftime on Sunday. Contributed
Thanks to the strong defensive team of Luke Frame, Nathan Sieckhaus, Fletcher Heron and Finn Greiner, and goalkeeper Cyrus Pearson, Shelton did not score and the half ended with New Canaan holding its 1-0 lead.
New Canaan came back out in the second half determined to win the game, despite intense offensive pressure by Shelton. Stimpson again swiftly took the ball from the right across the center and passed it to Frame in the left corner, who scored the 2nd goal to give New Canaan a 2-0 lead.
After a great save by Sturcke in goal, Shelton upped their game and a cross from their corner was put in to give them their first goal. Shelton quickly took advantage of an opening in the hometown’s defensive line and equalized the score.
Undeterred, Pearson, Nis Tuga and Frame upped their pressure on Shelton’s defense and goalie. Greiner, Werner, Sieckhaus and Heron fought hard to get the ball up the field to the offensive line, resulting in a great breakaway by Frame to score the 3rd and final goal of the game.
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Undefeated Soccer Season in the Record Books
L-R, top row: Coach Barry Beattie, Taylor Frame, Caroline Wilson, Riana Afshar, Michelle LaBadie, Katherine Lisecky, Ellie Anderson, Maddie Otero, and Jane Charlton. L-R, bottom row: Kearney McKiernan, Lucy Potter, Sophie Potter, Katie Dunn, Lizzie Kuchinski. Missing: Sophie Smith. Credit: Karen Wilson
The New Canaan U13 Girls Red travel soccer team posted an undefeated season into the records books for both League play (4-0-4) as well as all competitions (7-0-5).
The NC girls played two away matches this past week against both Darien and Ridgefield that resulted in a tie and victory, respectively.
The Darien match was a rescheduled make-up game with abbreviated 30-minute halves that ended in a scoreless draw. The girls blew out Ridgefield on Sunday posting a 6-1 victory.
Four minutes into the Ridgefield match, NC’s Katie Dunn was taken down within the 18-yard box and was awarded a penalty kick. Dunn capitalized on her opportunity by blasting her strike squarely into the top left corner of the nets putting NC up, 1-0.
Three minutes later, NC striker Jane Charlton rang the inside part of the far left post but the unyielding post returned the ball across the entire length of the goal opening untouched. Ridgefield knotted the score at the 50-minute mark when the team’s striker in a breakaway delivered a rocket which NC goalkeeper Michelle LaBadie couldn’t contain.
However, NC quickly answered back as NC striker Charlton on a breakaway successfully slid the ball under a diving Ridgefield goalkeeper finding the back of the nets at the 52 minute mark. Two minutes later, Charlton was fouled in the left channel outside the 18-yard box and was awarded a free kick which she slammed into the top far right corner of the goal putting NC up 3-1.
At the 65 minute mark, NC strikers Dunn and Taylor Frame found themselves in a beautiful 2 v 1 breakaway. Once the Ridgefield defensive person committed herself to challenging Dunn, an alert Dunn slid the ball over to teammate Frame who took it in the rest of the way with a commanding strike putting NC up 4-1.
NC’s midfielders wanted in on the action, too, so they pressed up even farther than usual and were handsomely rewarded for their efforts. First, NC midfielder Kearney McKiernan blasted a shot from about 25 yards out that sailed into the goal just under the crossbar for a 5-1 NC lead at 72 minutes and then second came NC midfielder Maddie Otero who beat the Ridgefield goalkeeper to the left with a couple minutes to spare on the clock.
NC’s back defensive line anchored by Ellie Anderson, Lucy and Sophie Potter, and Caroline Wilson operated as their usual well oiled Borg-like machine whereby they simply were impenetrable as they wore down the opposition: Resistance is futile. Unfortunately for NC, today was Ellie’s last NC match as she and her family are moving to Australia which will leave a huge gaping hole both in the defense as well as in all our hearts. Bon voyage Ellie, until our collective paths cross again!