Fall Sports Highlights 10.28.19

The Westminster harriers journeyed to Easthampton on our Parents Weekend to race in the Shaler Invitational, an event which brings together 12 schools from around the region to compete. With injuries and departure plans for the weekend trimming our numbers down to 10, the entire traveling squad lined up for the race. The winner of the competition, as he has been for the past four years, was Matt Farrell from Loomis Chaffee, who zipped uncontested around the course in 15:55. The story of the day for the Martlets, though, was the running of the captain, Daniel Pinckney '20, who equaled his lifetime best on this relatively slow course. He looked strong and determined from start to finish, and this time put him 11th place overall. Kieran Haug '21 tested out his foot after four weeks off, and he stopped after two miles; the hope is that he can get fully back to racing next week. Oliver Fenner '22 was back in action after missing last week's race with a sore foot, and he was the other Martlet who broke 20 minutes. While no one else hit their season best, many were close and we look forward to having a more complete squad together for the championship races at Avon Old Farms (Founders League) and Nobles School (NEPSTA D II Championships) the next two weekends. For complete results from the Shaler, follow this link.

 

The Westminster girls’ team traveled to Williston Northampton for the Shaler Invitational this weekend. The meet, which draws schools from all over New England, featured nine teams in the girls’ varsity race. Westminster finished fifth overall. Annabelle Smith '21 was the first Martlet finisher in a time of 20:27. She ran a gritty race to finish third place overall in a field of 72 runners. Miranda Douglass '21 similarly secured a top-10 finish (ninth place) in 21:56. She was followed by Olivia Goldstuck '21 in 14th place, who ran a season PR of 22:36. Bethany Winters '20 also ran a season PR (23:06) to take 26th place overall for the Martlets. First-year runner Simone Routledge '23 ran a huge lifetime PR to round out Westminster's top five; she ran her fastest 5K time ever in 26:54, over 70 seconds faster than her previous personal best. Taylor Hill '22 was sixth for the Martlets; she, too, had an impressive season PR by over a minute. The girls are excited to compete at the Founders League Championships next weekend at Avon Old Farms. Complete results here.

 

Westminster started at a high tempo with great energy, but the Martlets allowed Sacred Heart to win possession by turning over a lot of ball. Westminster stood off Sacred Heart a little in the first half, letting the team dictate the play for the first 30 minutes. Sacred Heart scored from a corner before Westminster scored back through Sam DeLeo '21 with 18 mins left on the clock in the first half. Sacred Heart won a stroke and scored before the end of the first half to go 2-1 up. From that point onwards, and after some discussion about pressing during the interval, Westminster closed its opposition down to a greater extent and stifled much of Sacred Heart's attacking plays, the result being a much more even second half that ended without further scoring. Great lessons for Westminster about retaining the ball and pressing hard when not in possession. KK Newton '20 made 14 saves with some fantastic reaches and net coverage.

Westminster hosted Hotchkiss on a beautiful fall day. The game started with a high tempo and a good balance of possession and pressure. Westminster scored early in the first half from open play with a nice cross from the sideline from Sam DeLeo '21 and a good finish from Bennett Ghriskey '22. During the second half, Hotchkiss made nice attacks, but the Martlets really held tight on defense with great discipline to keep Hotchkiss at bay. The defense worked hard in practice Tuesday, focusing on not giving corners after some loose discipline in the circle versus Sacred Heart Monday. This paid off, and Hotchkiss struggled to get shots on goal or corner opportunities. Westminster scored early in the second half with Ghriskey carrying down the right wing and making a nice cross off the end line to DeLeo. With 20 minutes left in the second half, Hotchkiss came forward with great determination to make a nice goal with four minutes remaining. A nicely worked corner between Claire Taylor '21 and Megan Rittenhouse '20, with three minutes left on the clock, put the score to 3-1 and made the game all but won. This was an important win for the team and a great developer for their self-belief and confidence.

 

The Martlets started very well, controlling things nicely for the first five minutes; however, the team suddenly looked very tired and dropped off the pace quickly. GA stepped up quickly and made the Martlets pay with two goals in the first half. Westminster fought back with determination, but GA really controlled the game once the initiative was lost. After four games in eight days, and a hard eight weeks of term, and with long weekend upon us, the Martlets seemed to be running on something like empty. That said, the team showed nice grit in scoring back to end the score at 3 to 1.

 

Westminster quickly got on the board from a beautiful pass from Amelia Molin '23 to Olivia Fernandez '23 who found the back of the cage. The Martlets went on to score five more goals in the first half, led by Chloe Ferro '20 who had three goals and one assist. A huge shoutout goes to Jackie Autorino '20 who scored her first career goal.

 

Westminster gave up a goal early in the first half. However, after regrouping during a timeout the Martlets were able to generate offensive opportunities but could not find the back of the cage. Greenwich would go on to score two additional goals in the first half. Westminster fought the entire game to get on the score board and played tough defense. Jackie Autorino ‘20 lead the defense with three defensive saves.

 

Westminster arrived at Williston on a perfect fall day ready to play some field hockey. Despite facing a junior varsity team and regardless of the 2-1 loss, Westminster played one of its best games of the season. Westminster scored its goal with a beautiful shot off a corner play made by Callie Dermody ’23 with an assist from Caroline Bartley ’23. The excitement of the second half was palpable with the majority of the game played on the Williston side of the 50 yard line due to some incredible offensive pressure and defensive backing. Westminster was awarded a corner as the buzzer ran out on the game and before the team could complete the play, Westminster received another! With no time left on the clock, the Martlets couldn't find the back of the cage, 

 

Fans showed up in full force to watch Third Girls' Field Hockey face off against Granby High School on Hovey Oct. 25. Fueled by the memory of the 7-0 loss at the beginning of the season, Westminster took to the turf with excitement. Granby scored the first two goals with some impressive tips and played some great balls, but its defense was no match for a tip from Liv Fernandez ’23 who was ready on the post during an offensive corner. With an assist from Arin Goldberg ’22, Westminster scored and ended the first half trailing 2-1. For the second time that week, the energy was high during the second half and the girls were excited to put on a show for the crowd. Coming off a quickly moving play from the defensive side, Elle Dorrian ’22 drove the ball into an empty Granby circle. The Martlet offensive line quickly sprinted after the ball and kept it in the circle until Fernandez was able to slip it past the goalie’s pads once again

 

Westminster hosted a talented Loomis squad on a windy sunny midweek game. The first half the visitors came out strong and the Martlets weathered the storm. With under a minute to go in the first half, Westminster was awarded a PK. Lawrence Taylor '23 stepped up and hit a well-placed ball to the corner but with just not enough pace to beat Loomis' Div. 1 committed keeper. Early in the second half, Loomis jumped out to a 2-0 lead. During the last 15 minutes of the game Westminster would push and score one off a well-crossed ball to a streaking Jon Picard '22 who would hammer a low-driven shot home to cut the lead to one. The Martlets fought hard late, but did not get a crossed ball off to find the same magic with under two minutes to go. Lucas Wahlberg '21 would return in net after being sidelines for two weeks and record a solid six-save game.

 

Westminster came out strong and scored 3 goals in the first 30 minutes of the first half to take a 3-0 lead into halftime. First goal of the game came from Godwin Asore '20 assisted by Xander Cardia '21. Only two minutes later the Martlets would go up 2-0 on a great in tight goal from Lawrence Taylor '23 assisted by John Picard '22. To round off the first half scoring Juan Jo Garibay '20 would knock home a crossing ball. The second half saw both teams get up and down the field for some opportunities. Canterbury would score in the 88th min off a crossing ball to an open player inside the 18 yard box. Parker Sinclair '23 would get the start in net and record six saves.

   

Westminster hosted Hotchkiss for its postponed game from two weeks ago Oct. 21 evening. After a strong game Oct. 18, the Martlets were excited to continue the victorious trend, but a strong first half by the visiting Bearcats put them in a tough spot the rest of the game. Hotchkiss got on the board first after eight minutes of play and scored twice more before the half. Westminster struggled to bounce back in the first half and found itself defending much of the first 40 minutes. Halftime, however, allowed the Martlets to bring back the spark and make this a game. In just under two minutes into the second half, the Martlets got on the board themselves when Priscilla Ameyaw ‘22 found Eliza Roach ‘21 to make the game 3-1 favoring the visitors. Ten minutes later, the Bearcats answered, but the Martlets had more in them. Morgan Pineault ‘21 had an outstanding game in the midfield, winning battles that resulted in the Martlets second and final goal of the game. Out of a scrum, Pineault found Jillian Gregorski ‘23 who took a shot outside the 18 that was rebounded and followed in by Roach. Ultimately, Westminster won the second half 2-1, but the visitors played a full game, leaving the Martlets behind by two goals.

The Martlets hit the road to head North to Suffield Academy ready for a fast-paced game on their turf field. The first half was scoreless with both teams having chances, but with much of the play happening in the middle third of the field. In the second half, Suffield scored 10 minutes in to take the lead, but the Martlets, with their new formation for the final 30 minutes, remained disciplined. Ten minutes after Suffield’s goal, Wheatley Sutro ‘22 took a free kick outside the 18 and scored a beautiful goal to tie the game 1-1. The game looked like it would be a tie or a Westminster win if the late second half chances were to continue for the Martlets, but a poor call against the Martlets in their own penalty box caused a PK and a goal in the final two and a half minutes of the game. Westminster continued the battle, but the time expired before the Martlets could equalize once again.

 

Westminster hosted Loomis for a home match on a beautiful fall day during Parents Weekend. It took a few minutes for the Martlets to figure out their play, but eventually they got on the board first 15 minutes into the half thanks to the threatening combo of Eliza Roach ‘21 (assist) and Jillian Gregorski ‘23 (goal). Ten minutes later, though, Loomis equalized, but not without a Westminster rebuttal when Gregorski found the net again. Leading 2-1 to start the second half, Westminster tried to keep the lead and maintained much of the possession, but Loomis took a free kick to equalize once again with 11 minutes left.

 

Second Boys' Soccer pushed a very good Loomis Chaffee team for much of the game, only falling behind late in the second half. Adam Cerny '21 capitalized on some miscommunication in the Loomis backline to coolly finish into an open net. Then Loomis showed its quality with two goals from set pieces to take control of the game. Tommy Cramer '23 worked hard throughout the match, possessing the ball in tight areas and trying to find his teammates. Cramer always tries to make something positive happen on the field and he never gives up, even when things aren't working for him. David Harris '21 made some excellent saves in goal, and there was not much he could do about the goals that beat him. Harris is standing in for the regular keeper and doing an admirable job. Tunji Osho-Williams '21 is the heart of the team, driving us forward and always leading by example. Osho-Williams continues to be an impeccable leader on and off the field, and his sportsmanship is great to see. Osho-Williams often finds himself out of breath because he is always trying to support his teammates wherever they are on the field. He leads through example and is an incredible ambassador for the school.

 

 

Despite having defeated the Doors earlier in the season, the girls knew they would have their hands full for this rematch. The visitors applied pressure from the opening whistle, but it was the Martlets who got on the board with an early goal. Susie Mahoney '20 did it all herself in the third minute, deflecting a long clearing ball past the Green back line, then converting the breakaway she had created. The game settled into a midfield battle that produced pressure on both defenses. (On the day each team would take 20 shots on goal.) The Doors equalized in the 17th minute when they forced a turnover after a back pass to the keeper. The Martlets regained the lead in the 30th minute when they fed the ball into the box, and Riley Vincent '23 blocked the attempted clear into the net. The next 30 minutes were tense and hard-fought, and the 2-1 lead felt tenuous. But when Mahoney dropped into midfield, the Martlets started stringing passes together and generating good scoring chances, and two late goals in under two minutes put the game out of reach. Ridgely Green '20 stuffed one home from close range after a nice sequence, and Mahoney scored her second of the day, also from close range, after a corner kick bounced around a bit in front of the net. Additional shoutouts go to Vincent and Alexa Dwyer '22 who were industrious and effective up front, and to Ava Beckford '23, who played with poise on defense.

 

Just as Wednesday's 4-1 winning score belied a closely fought match, the girls' 4-1 losing score does not reflect the run of play (Westminster took 16 shots vs. Loomis' 18) or the quality of the competition against a strong Loomis squad. The Martlets did a nice job of stringing passes together, led by good chemistry between Ridgely Green '20 and Susie Mahoney '20 in central midfield. It was the Pelicans, however, who took a 1-0 lead into halftime on the strength of a goal in the 30th minute. The second half unfolded similarly, but the game was decided in an eight-minute stretch during which the Pelicans scored three times — one on a cross from deep in the corner, another off a corner kick, and the third on a high shot from long range. The Martlets had a several near misses late, twice on balls sent across the goal mouth by Cecilia Raymond '20 that just missed connecting. They finally got on the board in the 77th minute when Mahoney buried a PK after a hand ball in the box.

 

After an uncharacteristically sluggish start, Westminster controlled the better part of the second half against a scrappy Suffield squad. Trailing by one, Owen Kaplan '22 finally found Darion Benchich '20, who put it on the ground past the Tiger keeper. Just a few minutes later, midfielder Luke Holyfield '22 assisted a Ben Ferrell '21 roundhouse for the go-ahead goal that proved to be not only the contest's tipping point but also icing on the cake because it was Ferrell's first game back from illness. Giving other notable performances were midfielders Niclas Swahn '22 and Charlie Crowther '21.

 

In an odd yet thrilling match, Westminster tied Miss Porter's 0-0. It was not for lack of trying, however. The girls created numerous scoring opportunities and the defense was able to prevent Miss Porter’s from mounting much of a threat, especially in the second half. Celia Sotirhos '21, Alex Buerck '21 and Elizabeth Wolf '23 all had several shots on goal. Sotirhos had one that bounced off the post. Caroline Cochener '22 adapted well to the midfield position after playing defense for most of the season. Rachel Ha '21, Mairead DeFronzo '20 and Maris Cathcart '23 among others were responsible for controlling the middle of the field, and did their job extraordinarily well. The defense was incredibly tight, and India Lalor '21 dominated her side of the field throughout the game. The entire team should be proud of this effort; their coach certainly is.

 

Oct. 26: Soccer - Third Girls’ 0 vs. Suffield Academy 1
Westminster came into the game knowing that it would be understaffed, with only a few substitutes. The team did a fantastic job holding Suffield to only a few shots on goal, and only let in on

 

 

Round two of the series this year would prove to be a competitive game from start to finish. Wilbraham is a scrappy team that is not afraid to use their size, or to shoot from most places in the pool. The Martlets were eager to play, and excited to show their parents how far they have come in the pool this fall. Westminster opened the scoring in the first quarter, and they had some early opportunities to pull away. A few turnovers and poorly timed passes led to Wilbraham opportunities, and the quarter would end at 3-2 Martlets. In the second quarter, Westminster continued to put points on the board, and also defend Wilbraham’s unconventional long pass offense. A Westminster defensive adjustment proved frustrating for Wilbraham, and the Titans received a red card/game misconduct for punching a Westminster player. The second quarter would end 5-3. In the third quarter, the Martlets had many opportunities as a result of strong defensive plays and strong outlets from Keegan Bankoff ‘22. Despite many odd man plays, Westminster couldn’t capitalize on the lack of defense, and were unable to pull away. The Fourth quarter opened at 9-7 Westminster, and the Martlets never looked back. They were able to take advantage of offensive opportunities with good passing and strong shooting. Bankoff again shut the door on Wilbraham, coming up with many key saves in the fourth including a five-meter stop. With a few more tallies in the fourth, the game ended at 13-8 Westminster. The Martlets played well as a team, and they were able to lean on each other when the game grew more physical. Hunter Hoogkamp ‘21, Owen Murphy 22’, Rich Mugler ‘22, Kellen Seeley ‘22, Layton Harmon ‘21, and Max Larock ‘22 all contributed on the score sheet.