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Winter Sports Highlights for 2.26.18

Basketball - First Girls'
Feb. 21: Basketball - First Girls’ 30 vs Deerfield Academy 54
It was close early —  Westminster only trailed 12-14 more than halfway through the first half. However, DA made a crucial defensive adjustment and stymied the Martlets the rest of the way. Westminster gave a valiant effort for all 32 minutes, but ultimately couldn't execute offensively, and the oppressive heat and humidity of the DA gym had team members gasping for air long before the opponents. Paige Phillips '20 led Martlet scorers with 12.
 
Feb. 24: Basketball - First Girls’ 26 vs Pomfret School 65
 
Basketball - First Boys'
Feb. 21: Basketball - First Boys’ 58 vs Williston Northampton School 83
The Martlets played a strong first half against a balanced Williston team. The score was 32-37 going into the second half. However, in the second half, Williston started to heat up and the Martlets couldn’t recover. Chris Robinson ‘20 led all scorers with 30 points and Fritz Gale ‘18 added 17 points and eight rebounds.
 
Feb. 23: Basketball - First Boys’ 54 vs Pomfret School 65
The Martlets played against a stingy Pomfret basketball team Feb. 23. Pomfret jumped out to a quick 13-point lead in the opening minutes of the first half. With grit and grace, the Martlets stormed back and were only down by one point midway through the second half. Moving forward, Pomfret was clicking on all cylinders from the outside and the Martlets couldn't get into a groove. Chris Robinson '20 led the way with 20 points and six assists. Everyone who played for the Martlets scored, but it wasn't enough to get the win.
 
Feb. 24: Basketball - First Boys’ 67 vs Taft School 68
 
Basketball - Second Girls'
Feb. 19: Basketball - Second Girls’ 28 vs Ethel Walker School 34
The team traveled across town to take on Ethel Walker on Feb. 19. The team started off a bit slow, quickly falling behind to an Ethel Walker lead that the team wouldn’t be able to overcome in the remainder of the game. Despite tough Martlet defense and lots of shooting from the outside, Westminster found itself down 11-18 at halftime. However, in typical fashion, the girls came out fighting in the second half, determined to never give up. Solid defense and quick and aggressive offense kept the Martlets in the game. Down by 16 points with only about five minutes left to play, the girls dug deep to cut that deficit by more than half to finish the game on a high note by outscoring Walkers 17-16 in the second half. Though the team finished with a loss and a final score of 28-34, the girls showed exceptional grit and grace throughout the entire game. Sophia Gasser ‘18 led the team offensively with 13 points while Becca Gavel ‘18 followed with nine points.
 
Feb. 21: Basketball - Second Girls’ 17 vs Deerfield Academy 48
The team traveled north to face a tall and athletic Deerfield squad on Feb. 21. The Martlets struggled to generate much offense in the first half while working hard to fend off Deerfield’s height in the paint. Despite working incredibly hard, the team was down 8-24 at halftime. A very similar second half ensued. Though the girls fought until the very end, a short bench and a tough opponent made it difficult to cut the lead, finishing with a final score of 17-48. Becca Gavel ‘18 led the team with 11 points, including three three-point shots, her season high.
 
Feb. 24: Basketball - Second Girls’ 37 vs Pomfret School 22
Westminster traveled to Pomfret for the final game of the season. After a back and forth first half, and a bit of slow start for the team, the girls went into halftime ahead by two points, 15-13. However, the team showed the aggressive and quick play it was capable of in the second half. With several defensive steals and fast breaks, the Martlets were able to solidify a strong lead after falling behind in the first couple minutes of the second half. Outscoring Pomfret 22-9 in the second half, the team was determined to finish strong. In typical fashion, they worked hard until the buzzer and finished a great season with a win. Sophia Gasser ‘18 and Becca Gavel ‘18 led the team with 11 points each, while Alisa Toner ‘21 had seven points and Allison Kijanka ‘20 had six points.
 
Basketball - Second Boys'
Feb. 21: Basketball - Second Boys’ 40 vs Williston Northampton School 50
 
Feb. 24: Basketball - Second Boys’ 41 vs Taft School 50
 
Basketball - Third Boys'
Feb. 21: Basketball - Third Boys’ 25 vs Salisbury School 49
The Martlets of Third Boys’ Basketball donned their blacks one last time to take on the Crimson Knights of Salisbury School. The Martlets came out strong in the first half, holding the Knights to just a three-point game for a considerable portion of the first 16 minutes of play. As the game wore on, the gap widened and the boys found themselves down 12-19 at the end of the first half. Outstanding sportsmanship was shown by young promise Harrison Lehman '21 throughout the game, a noticeable theme throughout the season. The trajectory of the first half continued to the second, and the Martlets finished their season with bittersweet pride.
 
Hockey - First Girls'
Feb. 21: Hockey - First Girls’ 2 vs Lawrenceville School 2
First Girls’ Hockey hosted Lawrenceville School Feb. 21 in Jackson rink. In the final home game of the season, emotions were running high and the team struggled to find its rhythm in the first period. Lawrenceville took advantage and went up 1-0 half way through the period. Westminster took time before the start of the second to refocus and commit to a team effort. Slowly, the team was able to turn the tempo. The Martlets peppered the Lawrenceville goalie until Taylor Adams '20 put away a rebound with assists from Rosy Sieglaff '18 and Hannah Carbone '19 to even the score. The third period was a battle from the start. Lawrenceville came out flying and scored just three minutes in to take the lead. Westminster had to brush it off and focus on getting more zone time. Finally, just three minutes later, Jill Parsons '19 came streaking across the blue line on a fast break. She used her defenseman as a screen and shot through to the top corner. The game was tied as the final seconds ticked away. Overtime belonged completely to Westminster. Sixth Form captain Lilly Holmes '18 was all over the opponents forcing turnovers and creating scoring chances. Despite the momentum, Westminster could not get the go-ahead goal and the game ended in a 2-2 tie.
 
Feb. 24: Hockey - First Girls’ 2 vs Kent School 4
Westminster lost a hard-fought battle to Kent on Feb. 24. The game was extremely close and fast paced. Westminster fought with everything it had from the drop of the puck until the final whistle blew. Kent was in the lead 2-0 at the end of the first period, but Westminster was not deterred by the score and came out hard in the second period and scored the next goal to make it 2-1. Westminster’s goal came when the puck bounced out to Sixth Form defenseman Ashlee White and she fired the puck top corner past the Kent goaltender. Unfortunately, Kent managed to get the next two goals of the game to close out the second period with a score of 4-1. Westminster continued to fight hard and managed to score another goal with two minutes left in the game. The goal came from an excellent offensive opportunity created by Megan Rittenhouse ‘20 and Lilly Holmes ‘18 with Jenny Guider ‘20 was there to bury it. The game ended with a 4-2 score and despite the loss Westminster was able to end the season on a high note fighting such a hard battle and never giving up.
 
Hockey - First Boys'
Feb. 21: Hockey - First Boys’ 1 vs Gunnery School 3
 
Feb. 23: Hockey - First Boys’ 3 vs Belmont Hill School 1
Westminster traveled to Holy Cross for a neutral site game against Belmont Hill on Feb. 23. The Martlets carried the play through all three periods and earned a great win against a physical, determined Belmont Hill squad. The pace was fast from the get-go, and Westminster was able to weather the physical demands of this game well by using its speed and skill to get the puck to the net. Ned Blanchard ‘20 opened the scoring in the first period with a one-timer past the Belmont Hill goalie. Belmont Hill would even the score, but Iggy Belov ‘20 gathered the puck in front of the net late in the first and put the puck past the goaltender making the game 2-1 after one. The remainder of the game was well contested from both teams with the Martlets outshooting Belmont and both goalies playing well. Ryan Doolin ‘18 scored an empty netter late in the third to seal the victory. Alex Gadowski ’18 was great in net stopping 32 of 31 shots.
 
Feb. 24: Hockey - First Boys’ 3 vs Deerfield Academy 2
 
Hockey - Second Girls'
Feb. 21: Hockey - Second Girls’ 1 vs Deerfield Academy 5
It was a tough matchup at against Deerfield on Feb. 21. They came with strong skaters ready to respond to the loss Westminster handed them early in the season. Natalie Rubin ‘19 scored Westminster’s only goal of the game. Julia Krys ‘19 recorded a very impressive 45 saves.
 
Feb. 24: Hockey - Second Girls’ 4 vs Kent School 3
The Martlets played with the grit and grace they have been cultivating all season. Natalie Rubin ‘19 held down the offensive effort with a hat trick. And Caroline McDermott ‘20 added to the score off a break away. Julia Krys ‘19 recorded another 26 saves. It was a great team effort top to bottom with every player making meaningful contributions to the win.
 
Hockey - Second Boys'
Feb. 21: Hockey - Second Boys’ 3 vs Avon Old Farms School 5
Winged Beavers Edge Martlets in Rematch
Second Boys' Hockey traveled down Route 10 to battle Avon in a season rematch. Westminster played well in the opening 10 minutes, scoring the initial goal (Demitri George '18 off a Carson Roth '19 rebound) and put significant pressure on the hosts in their end. Unfortunately, at the very end of the first period, Avon scored four goals in just three minutes to change the whole complexion of the game. Despite this disastrous few minutes, the visitors regrouped, changed goalies and played strong second and third periods. The Martlets inched closer by scoring the only goal in the second frame, when Darion Benchich '20 finished a Brett Daubert '20 shot and rebound. Westminster pressed harder in the final period and got the score to 4-3 after Quinn Armstrong '20 and Roth worked the puck down to a waiting George, who slid the puck into an open net. The Martlets pulled their goalie and had a couple chances to tie the game, but a blocked shot ended in an empty net goal to seal the win for Avon. This was a strange game and a tough one to lose. Apart from that three-minute period, Westminster had the better of the play and deserved a better fate. Ben Ferrell '21, who got the call in relief, made several fine saves in goal to give his team a chance at a major comeback. The coaches were very pleased by the team's effort and resolve after the difficult first period. The Seconds made a great game of a contest that could have gone south quickly.
 
Feb. 24: Hockey - Second Boys’ 5 vs Deerfield Academy 1
The Seconds hosted Deerfield in the season finale and skated away with a 5-1 win. The Martlets scored the only goal in the first period when Wyatt Pastor '20 collected assists from Demitri George '18 and Peter Sanger '21 and snapped one into the back of the net. The score changed to 2-0 late in the second period after Quinn Armstrong '20 skied a pass to Pastor on a near breakaway. Wyatt raced the Deerfield netminder to the puck and managed to poke the puck off the goalie's stick and score on the rebound. In the final frame, Westminster scored three more times to increase the lead to 5-0. First, Steve Bray '18 capitalized on a fine passing play from Armstrong and Pastor. Josh Cosentino '18 netted the next one from the high slot with Carson Roth ’19 earning the hard-working assist. Zach Papapetros '20 was credited with the final Martlet goal when Brett Daubert '20 and Pastor worked the puck to the blueline and Papapetros found the top corner of the Big Green net. Unfortunately, the home team couldn't preserve the shutout as Deerfield scored with under two minutes remaining in the game. Ben Ferrell '21 made 17 saves between the pipes and helped the team secure a very satisfactory win and a 500-season record (9-9). The coaches would like to thank the four Sixth Formers who played their last hockey game for Westminster. First year players, Steve Bray, Demitri George and Josh Cosentino, all contributed to the success of this year's team. Special thanks to captain Peter Hall ’18 who provided two years of fine leadership and great play down the stretch-run.
 
Hockey - Third Boys'
Feb. 19: Hockey - Third Boys’ 6 vs Rumsey Hall School 1
The Martlets found their stride midway through the game, established a good tempo, and capitalized on their opportunities on route to a 6-1 victory over visiting Rumsey. Grant Noble '18 and Wick Carter '19 led the scoring with two a piece, and SK Lee '18 and Willie Noble '20 each notched one as well. An additional highlight included a Sixth Form power play — Grant Noble, Lee and Ryan Szykowny — in the last shift of the players' Westminster careers. They executed some tape-to-tape passes, some nifty creativity and then a doorstep conclusion with Grant Noble burying his shot following a beautiful pass.
 
Feb. 24: Hockey - Third Boys’ 3 vs Taft School 0
The Thirds closed out the 2017-18 campaign with a solid win over the hosting Taft Rhinos. In a game that started physically from the opening face off, the boys remained disciplined and focused in their quest to bring home a final victory. Will Scott '20 was on his game between the pipes leaving no rebounds for Taft to seize throughout the afternoon. Offensive highlights included Aidan Wood's '20 low, hard wrist shot goal from the blue line during one of the many Martlet power plays. Wick Carter '19 was also "Johnny on the spot" when he buried a convincing shot off of a Jackson Schopp '19 crossbar rebound. Ryan Szykowny '18 would finish the scoring with a signature dangle and a quick shot to the upper shelf. Many thanks to the entire team for another inimitable season, and special thanks to Grant Noble '18, Szykowny and SK Lee '18 who collectively led and set the tone for the entire season.
 
Squash - First Girls'
Feb. 21: Squash - First Girls’ 1 vs Taft School 6
The girls finished their regular season with a strong performance against Taft. Although the team score was a lopsided 6-1, all but one match went to at least four games. Natalie Fay '19 collected the lone win, at #6, outslugging her opponent in a tight, seesaw match ((2), 8, 3, (11) ,9). In the other five-setter, Valeria Osorio '19 mounted a stirring comeback at #1 only to fall just short (10, 8, (9), (7), 5). The three Sixth Formers, playing their final home matches, each went to four, including some close games lost. (Scores: #6 Lucy Noel ’18 — (11), 3, 11, 1; #5 Caroline Miller ’18 — 5, (8), 12, 4; #4 Katie Kosior ’18 — (13), 9, 8, 4). At #3, Caroline Kelter '19 also went to four, and nearly extended it to five in a match with an improbably score line (3, (1), 4, 11). Even the lone straight-setter, at #2, featured numerous long rallies and back-and-forth scoring, with Ellie Bailey '21 earning a respectable 6, 6, 8 result. Finally, the exhibition result must be noted, as Rebecca Sargent '20 earned a solid five-game win ((11), 5, 2, (9), 3) to run her season record to 17-2.
 
Feb. 24: Squash - First Girls' vs New England Tournament
The format for New Englands had each girl playing in a 16-player draw (one player from each team), with the team result being the sum of the individual finishes (16 points for first; one point for 16th place). All seven girls finished in the top half of her draw, earning 92 points, which was good for second place, six points out of first. Natalie Fay '19 turned in a dominant performance at #6, taking the title in her draw without dropping a game. Her determination to get to every ball was inspiring, and her improved shotmaking left her opponents few openings. Lucy Noel '18 was the other finalist, taking second place at #7. Although she would not have a storybook ending to her career, her final match provided an enduring image of her competitiveness as well as her grace (7, (5), 4, (8), 8). Two other players made it to the semi-finals, including Katie Kosior '18, who fell to the eventual champion in the semis, but closed out her Westminster career with a satisfying come-from-behind win ((6), (10), 7, 6, 7) to take third at #4. Valeria Osorio '19 cruised on Feb. 24, but also lost to the eventual champion in the semis, and then fell just short in an epic five-setter (9, (7), (8), 8, 9) to take fourth at #1 . Caroline Miller '18 narrowly missed a berth in the semi-finals after a grueling second-round loss ((8), (5), 11, 6, 6). She then ran off three straight wins to earn fifth place at #5, including a gritty five-setter (8, (10), (9), 8, 6) and a tight four setter (9, (10), 9, 6) in her last match as a Martlet (avenging a loss from earlier in the season). Two players went 3-2 on the weekend. At #2 Ellie Bailey '21 split two four-setters and two five-setters. Her lone 3-0 match was still an exciting, nerve-wracking affair (12, 11, 12) that helped lift her to a sixth-place finish. At #3, Caroline Kelter '19 also took sixth, suffering two 3-1 losses against two dominant 3-0 wins on Feb. 25 and another on Feb. 25 that required her to push through a shoulder injury and hold off a tenacious opponent. The team's performance brought the season to an appropriately positive close.
 
Squash - Second Girls'
Feb. 21: Squash - Second Girls’ 4 vs Taft School 3
Westminster finished the season on a high note by winning six of seven matches including the last five in a row and avenged an early season loss to a talented Taft team with a 4-3 win. On Senior Day, the squad honored Sixth Formers Isabelle Niles '18, Stacia McBreen '18 and Maddie Dwyer '18, and thanked the girls for their contributions to the program. After ceremonies, the girls took to the courts and dominated the Rhinos at numbers 1-4. Georgia Swank '19, Eve Cathcart '20, Annabel Bradley '19 and Blake Cote '19 all won convincingly, 3-0. Dwyer played a grueling four-setter before falling to her opponent at number six. The unseasonably warm temperatures made play difficult all day.
 
Squash - Second Boys'
Feb. 21: Squash - Second Boys’ 2 vs Taft School 8
The Martlets traveled on Feb. 21 to Watertown to play the Taft Rhinos, a traditionally strong squash team and lost 2-8 in their final match of the year. From top to bottom it was a hard-fought contest. Nate Londal '19 lost 10-12 in the fifth game of a very entertaining match at #1 while Scott Lee '20 lost in four competitive games at #10. James Manderlink '21 at #7 and Carl Ekholm '19 at #9 were the only Martlets to win their matches. Ekholm gets the "nail" for this match, rebounding from a 6-11 loss in the first game to take the next three games 16-14, 12-10, 12-10. Gus Hartmann '20 and Ethan Na '19 also fought tenaciously in their matches. Coach Michael Cervas sees a lot to like in his young team. All of the boys return next year, which is a very good sign for the program.
 
Squash - Third Girls'
Feb. 21: Squash - Third Girls' 2 vs Taft School 5

Squash - Third Boys'
Feb. 21: Squash - Third Boys’ 1 vs Taft School 9
 
Swimming/Diving - First Girls'
Feb. 24: Swimming/Diving - First Girls' vs Founders' League Tournament
Westminster team members spent the afternoon in Lakeville waging war on their personal records at the Founders League Championships. Annie Brewer '21, Angelesia Ma '20, Katherine Ashe '21 and co-captain Liza Lennox '18 swam great splits and finished 10th in the 200 Medley Relay. Simonne Ponce '21, Sydney Schuster '21, Lennox and Alex Lin '19 all swam best times in the 200 Free, with Lin finishing ninth place overall. Alex Wolf '19 placed 12th in the 50 Free, and co-captain Dallis Alvarez '18, Ally Marenco '18, Siena Holowesko '21 and Mary Su '18 all set new best times in that event. The diving event, held Feb. 21 at Choate, finished with Jane Ogden '19 in seventh and Cecilia Raymond '20 in ninth. In the 100 Freestyle, Lin finished fifth with a lifetime best, with Wolf in 15th place. Brewer dropped significant time in both the 500 Freestyle and the 100 Backstroke, and Schuster added another best time of her own in the 500 Free. The 200 Free Relay Team of Ma, Lennox, Lin and Wolf finished seventh with their best time all year, and Ma, along with Holowesko and Jennifer Jerand '19, went on to swim their fastest 100 Breaststrokes ever. The 400 Free Relay Team of Ashe, Lennox, Wolf and Lin placed ninth with their fastest time all year. Overall, it was a banner day of great swims. The team placed fifth out of eight teams.
 
Swimming/Diving - First Boys'
Feb. 24: Swimming/Diving - First Boys' vs Founders' League Tournament
The boys continued their season-long assault on their best times Feb. 24 in Lakeville with a flurry of outstanding races and gutsy swims. Co-captain Matt Norris '19 had the highest Martlet finish with a fourth place in the 500 Free, and he added a 10th place in the 100 Fly, both best times. Co-captain Albert Gao '18 led the Martlet contingent in the 200 Freestyle, finishing sixth, while Emmett de Kanter '19, Kieran Haug '21 and Layton Harmon '21 all added personal best times. Hudson Stedman '21 shaved four seconds off his 200 IM time to place 13th, and he dropped a second in the 100 Back to place 14th. Daniel Pinckney '20 also swam a best time in the 200 IM. Liam Seeley '20 led the best time barrage in the 50 Free, followed by Eddie Shin '21, David DeFronzo '19, Grant McCargo '21, Vlad Ivanchuk '19, Tremaine Dawson '21, Jeevan Palaniyandy '19 and Larry Liang '20. In the diving event, held Feb. 21 at Choate, Hayden Cathcart '18 took ninth, and Feb. 24 he added fast splits to the 200 Medley Relay and 200 Free Relay. In addition to Norris, Harmon, de Kanter and Pinckney all set new personal records in the 100 Fly, and Harmon added significant drops in the 50 and 100 Free as he led off the 200 and 400 Free Relays. Haug went nuts in his 500 Free, slicing eight seconds off his 500 Free, good for 10th place, and he set new PRs in the 50 and 100 Freestyles as well as lead-off relay splits. Shin added a two-second drop in the 100 Breaststroke, and the 400 Freestyle Relay Team of Harmon, de Kanter, Norris and Gao placed ninth in the final event. The boys swam great in a fast meet with strong competition, finishing seventh overall out of seven teams.  
 
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