Fall Sports Highlights 10.1.18

The Martlets hosted 11 boys’ teams and nine girls’ teams in the annual Richard Miller Invitational and had a strong showing, coming in fifth overall. Annabelle Smith '21 led the way, just missing the top 10 and coming in 11th overall. Miranda Douglass '21 looked very strong throughout the race and finished 15th overall and under 23 minutes. Olivia Goldstuck '21 also looked great down the final stretch and was 21st overall. Aleyna Baki '21 and Maggie Chaves '19 also felt good and ran solid races, rounding out the top five for the Martlets. In the JV race, Bella Tawney '22 led the way, finishing in a time that made her the sixth fastest Martlet. Tawney looked especially strong on the track. It was a perfect fall day for running and the Martlets responded well.

 

It was a perfect day for the 13th running of the Richard Miller Invitational. First Boys’ Cross Country knew that they had an opportunity to place well, and energy levels were high as they took the line with nine other schools. From the start, Emmett de Kanter ‘19 took the lead and he never relinquished it. He ran a fast first mile, ran alone for the next two, and pushed hard to finish in 16:51, tying the course record set in 2014. The rest of the team was intent on making this Westminster’s day, pushing hard in every foot race to get in front of their opponents at the finish. Justin Schuster ‘19 was second for Westminster and fourth overall. He was followed by Daniel Pinckney ‘20, who had another dramatic finish to slide in front of a few other runners and earning the team another few critical points. Pinckney also dropped over 20 seconds off his lifetime best on this course. Elliott Kennard ‘19 was close behind in ninth and Kieran Haug ‘21 was the last scorer at 11th; he also finished under 19 minutes. Will Rizzo ‘21 moved up into the top 40 on the lifetime best list with his first run under 20 minutes on the home course, and Alex Ellis ‘20 had a solid run as the seventh man. In the end, the little victories between runners gave Westminster a slim six-point lead over Deerfield and its first-ever team title at the RMI.

The Second Boys’ race started over an hour later, and this group of less experienced runners demonstrated with their effort throughout the course that they came to compete. They posted some impressive times, given that most have been running for only three weeks. The top finisher for Westminster was Hudson Stedman ‘21, who dropped over 50 seconds from his lifetime best, showing that his summer training has paid dividends. Next were newcomers Spencer Kwan ‘22 and David DeFronzo ‘19, both who sprinted to the finish and broke 23 minutes on their first runs on this course. Brendan Greene ‘20 and Nate Chaves ‘19 were just over that threshold with solid efforts. Raymond Liu ‘22 had a tremendous finish — sixth for the team. It was a solid effort and a promising finish for a group made up primarily of new runners. They are at a good place to build for the next two-thirds of the season. Thank you to all the spectators who came to support the XC teams. It was a festive, upbeat atmosphere on Williams Hill and the crowd support certainly helped all the athletes compete. The team looks forward to seeing many of you again next weekend at Williston Northampton. www.webscorer.com/westminster

The Martlets traveled to Kent with a full team of healthy players. Westminster played well, but again struggled to convert possession and opportunities into goals. Kent pushed hard through the middle and scored three times in the first half. Westminster came out with determination to score and forced three goals. Bennett Ghriskey '22, Claire Taylor '21 and Greta Baker '19 all scored, with Taylor making the nicest of the goals from a strong breakaway and lifted shot. In overtime, Westminster gave away possession and allowed Kent to take a shot off the top to win in sudden death. Another tough one to swallow, but the Martlets know that they can only be rewarded if they force their possession into goals.

 

It was a great performance from Westminster. The younger players really came into their own, helping senior players to run things with confidence and authority. Most importantly, the team forced goals when it had possession and territory; this was down to determined and focused leadership by all players on the field. This was the development Westminster really needed. Congratulations to goal scorers Greta Baker '19 (3), Claire Taylor '21 (1), Bennett Ghriskey '22 (1) and Margaret Kennedy '22 (1). A fantastic hat trick for Baker and a great first Westminster goal for Kennedy with a very skilled tip in off a nice corner shot from Gemma Green '21.

 

Second Girls’ Field Hockey played a strong game against the lions of Kent School. While it took some time for the Martlets to find the back of the net, Chloe Ferro ‘20 buried a pass from Abby Moss ’20 shortly before the end of the first half. After a quick halftime, the Martlets kept the scoring train moving as they pumped in three more goals in five minutes. Ferro notched a second goal and other scorers were Eliza Polukhin ’19 and Halli Keenan ’21. Callista Adorno ’22 had an assist. The Lions netted one of their own late in the second half but the strong defensive play of Layla Ennis ’19, Jacq Autorino ’20, Jenna Kosior ’21, Phoebe Naylor ’21, Elise Strawbridge ’22 and goalie Kyani Jemmotte ’20 limited the Lions’ attack.

 

The energy was high from the start. The Martlets were relentless, peppering Choate's keeper with shots and finding the back of the cage on seven of them. Halli Keenan '21 led the attack with three goals, followed by one goal each for Chloe Ferro '20, Rebecca Sargent '20, Abby Moss '20 and Eliza Polukhin '19. Ellie Cramer '22 connected with Keenan on two of her goals, while Liz Murphy '19, Sargent and Ferro also picked up an assist. It was a great team effort.

Thirds Girls’ Field Hockey played a strong offensive game against the Bears of Granby High and won 2-1. Both Martlet goals came in the first half as Shelby Oken ’22 one-timed a beautiful feed from Ellie Cramer ’22 to put the Martlets ahead 12 minutes into the game. Eliza Breen ’22 added the second Martlet goal in the last minute of the half when she carried the ball into the circle and ripped a shot before the Granby keeper could react. In the second half, the Bears countered with a pretty score off a penalty corner with seven minutes to go in the game. While Granby poured on the pressure in the waning minutes, goalie Lara Connor ’22 calmly stopped every Granby shot and relied on the good defensive play of Simonne Ponce ’21, Alisa Toner ’21, Bella Mattson ’22, Callista Adorno ’22, Phoebe Naylor ’21 and Michaela Crabtree-Crowley ’22 to seal the victory.

 

The Martlets travelled to Kent in search of their first victory of the season and came back to the Hill with that win. The Martlets maintained possession for essentially all of the game, playing their game and having many chances to challenge the talented Kent goalkeeper, but it was not until halfway through the second half that the Martlets converted the chances to a goal. Jaclyn Laplante '20 served a beautiful ball from a corner kick right to center of the Kent 18-yard box and Wheatley Sutro '22 found the loose ball and sent it to the back of the net for her second career goal at Westminster and the lone goal of the contest. Westminster finished strong and Martlet keepers Allison Kijanka '20 and Siena Sandridge '19 secured the shutout.

 

The Martlets traveled to Wallingford, Conn. to take on the Wild Boars of Choate under the lights on Sept. 30. The Martlets were on the defensive much of the first half as Choate shot on many opportunities in the Westminster defensive end, but the defense, led by keeper Siena Sandridge '19, kept those out of the net. Ten minutes into the game, Choate got on the board with a free kick just outside the 18-yard box. Choate found the net twice more in the first but not without great counter attack opportunities, possession and ball movement from your Martlets. The Grit & Grace Westminster displayed on the field not only remained in the second half, but was elevated, as the Martlets possessed the ball for almost all of the second half, creating chances, playing their game, and controlling the contest pace. Despite this, Choate found the net twice more. Although the score may not reflect it, Westminster turned in a gritty and graceful game and did not once let up. Sandridge was tremendous in net and key contributors to defense were Natalie Rubin '19, Jaclyn Laplante '20, Sam de Kanter '22, Ella Varano '21 and Blake Cote '19.

 

On an extremely hot and steamy afternoon, Westminster would host Choate in a Founders League matchup. Both teams were coming off a washout for practice on Tuesday would start slow. Choate would get on the board midway through the first half off a deflected shot. Both teams adjusted at halftime and would have better second halfs. Choate would jump out again halfway through the second half with a 2-0 lead. Westminster would gather itself and find some fight and score an in tight composure goal from Gabe Mays-Sanchez '22. Westminster would have some nice chances late but no luck finding the back of the net. Lucas Wahlberg '21 would play big in net and have a solid six-save game. The team wrench would be passed to Sanchez for his first career goal and hustle on the field. Choate coaches would select Nathan Costantino '19 as the Westminster player of the game.

 

Westminster would go on the road for the first time this season to take on a well-organized Pomfret squad. Historically, both teams match up well, making for or a fun game to watch. Pomfret would open the scoring midway through the first half on a hard in tight shot. The second half would not start well for the visitors, as they would go down a man on a red card. Late in the second half Walker Stevens '19 would place a great ball into scoring space for Xander Cardia '21 would finish side netting for a 1-1 tie. Both teams would exchange some great scoring chances. Lucas Wahlberg '21 would be awarded goalie of the game for a very solid five-save game. Wahlberg would also be awarded the team wrench for his hard work on the day. Nathan Costantino '19 would be given the player of the game for Westminster from the Pomfret coaches.

Second Girls’ Soccer got back on track with a resounding win at Kent. The Martlets struck first just three minutes in when Cecilia Raymond ’20 converted on a pass from Susie Mahoney ‘20. The girls applied a lot of pressure and took numerous shots but couldn’t score again in the first half. Twenty-five minutes in, the Lions evened the score with a breakaway goal that would send the girls into halftime with a tie game. The girls came away from their halftime talk determined to convert their pressure into goals and wasted no time in doing so. Hailey Tullo ’22 scored just two minutes in off a sharp angle shot, followed a minute later by Lauren Way ’20 with a blast from outside the box. Twenty minutes into the half, Way scored again after some impressive dribbling inside the box. The Martlets would score three more times before the final whistle blew. Alexa Dwyer ‘22 scored her first Westminster career goal, Raymond scored during her stint at striker to notch her second goal of the day, and Ellie Bailey ’21 finished the game with a perfectly placed free kick in the waning minutes of the game.

 

Second Girls’ Soccer played an outstanding game against always-tough Choate. The Martlets came out sharp, controlling the bulk of the possession for the first 10 to 15 minutes, but failing to muster any serious threats on goal. As the half wore on, the Boars became more and more dangerous, first with potent counterattacks, then increasingly by commanding possession of their own. In fact, the Martlets survived a couple of serious scares, including a shot that rang off the post and a drive that only stayed out by virtue of a great save by Lili Birrell '22. With the match scoreless at the half, it seemed that one goal by either team could be enough for a win. The second half was a bit more of a midfield battle early, but as the teams tired, it turned toward an end-to-end affair. The Martlets just missed a golden opportunity around the 65th minute when a Susie Mahoney '20 shot sailed just over the bar. Not long after, the Boars were given a penalty kick at the tail end of another sudden counterattack; the converted goal did indeed prove to be the only score of the game. Kudos go to Lizzie McCoy '20 and Campbell Swift '21 who handled the central defense with poise as well as grit, and Ola Szopa '20 and Caroline McCausland '19, who protected the corners. Lauren Way '20 was once again a force in midfield, winning balls, distributing to others and initiating the most dangerous attacks. Taking the loss is a bit hard to swallow given how well the girls played.

 

Second Boys' Soccer suffered a hard-fought loss to Choate with some unlucky goals against the team. Khalil Walker '19 made his first appearance of the season after an injury and was busy up and down the lines. For his first game back, he impressed with his stamina and willingness to work for the team. Phalla Phoap '20 responded well to his coaching and put a tireless effort in on the wing. David Harris '21 also returned from injury and added stability to a nomadic midfield. The team didn’t end its scoreless streak but it did start to control the game towards the end of each half. If the team can extend these periods of possession to the start of the game it will find the goals easier to come by. These moments of control are coming more often and are signs of the team's progress.

 

Second Boys' Soccer finished both halves with the teamwork and energy that should be the foundation of a good season. The team came alive when Linc Dines '21 finished coolly past the keeper deep into the second half after a string of crisp passes. Westminster was working the ball well but struggled to capitalize on sustained periods of possession. Ben Huisman '20 has been working hard in practice throughout the week and continued with that form during the game. One of the most consistent performers continues to be Tyler Kinney '19. His spirit and quiet leadership shines through in all he does, both on the field and in practice.

 

Westminster's lone goal came in the fist half on a wonderful assist from Sasha van Vredenburch '21 to Alex Wolf '19. The team headed into the half tied 1-1 and had played its best half of the season. However, after the half, Hotchkiss' game plan took over, allowing one of its players to control the field, and the Westminster Martlets could not find an answer.

 

"O cruel Fate, when will thou weary be?" - Ephelia (17th Cent.) For the second game in a row, Westminster took a 1-1 game into halftime, only to see the opposition pull away in the later stages of the game. The contest actually was closer than the 4-1 loss represents. The first half saw stingy defense, well executed passes and a marvelous goal on consecutive stellar passes from Francesca Bradley '21 and Mae Cilmi '22 to Alex Wolf '19. The second half saw Choate capitalize on its opportunities and fast breaks. Several new team members amped up their game, providing some real energy and optimism for the team's future contests: Olivia Olney '22 and Sasha van Vredenburch '21 stood out among many.

 

Third Boys' Soccer was brought back to Earth by a talented Choate roster. The Martlets ironically struck first as Nate Swift '19 registered an impressive goal, his second of the season, on a direct kick from 30 yards, a positive mark during an otherwise unremarkable 70 minutes from the home team. Choate capitalized on several opportunities, netting two penalty kicks and finishing four assists inside the box, ensuring the lopsided affair. Besides Swift's solid play, Westminster did receive strong efforts toward the tail end of each half from Max Brownback '21, Harry Stevenson '20 and Jeevan Palaniyandy '19.

 

Westminster played physical soccer versus Pomfret, but in the end the team could only muster one goal via a penalty kick by Nate Swift '19. Despite being plagued by penalties, the Martlets put forth a solid effort, but they were outmanned down the flanks by Pomfret's wings, leading to three unanswered goals. Strong performances from keeper Carson Roth '19 and defenders Wes Oltsch '20, Jackson Schopp '19 and Roman Mitchell '20 kept Westminster in the game.

 

On a warm and muggy day, the boys travel up north for a match against the Hoggers from Northfield Mount Hermon. The game was scoreless for the first 16 minutes. In the 17th minute, Ben Mihailovich ‘22 found Peter Miller ‘22 just outside the penalty box in the center of the field. Miller unleashed a beautiful shot to the lower right-hand corner of the goal to give the Martlets a 1-0 lead. Northfield answered quickly with a spectacular header off of a corner kick. The Hoggers added another goal to take a 2-1 lead. Spectacular defense by Alex Tonioni ‘22 and Jack Kelly ‘22 kept the score at 2-1 until Mihailovich ended up with a direct kick from 25 yards. He put it in the upper left-hand corner of the goal and the game was tied 2-2. Baker Morton ‘22 gave the Martlets a few more chances with some beautifully played balls from the midfield. The Hoggers held and the game was tied 2-2 at the break. Alex Unruh ‘22 took over in net and he used the wind to punt the ball 75 yards at the beginning of the second half. His ball found the right foot of Brian Opdenaker ‘21 and the Martlets led 3-2. After the Hoggers tied the game, Westminster played two minutes of the best soccer in the fourth team’s history. Niclas Swahn ‘22 served a ball down the line to Bennett Ostern ’21 who one-timed it to Miller who touched it to Mihailovich for the game winner.