Going into their October 8 game against FAA rival Greenwich Academy, the Wildcats had an unblemished 6-0 record. The team was confident they could beat the Gators, having come off a phenomenal week of play against three other FAA teams —King, Green Farms Academy, and Hamden Hall. Instead, they suffered a disappointing 4-1 loss.
Both teams came out strong after the opening whistle. The Gators scored first, but the Wildcats junior captain Emily Duarte answered just two minutes later. The game was knotted at one going into halftime.
Coach Georgette Summers said the team went into the second half knowing, “We could shut the Gators down on the field, but we faced a big obstacle defending their well-executed corners.” Despite Garnets goalie Emma Santucci’s 11 saves, GA scored three successive goals on corners.
“The loss was disappointing but not surprising,” said Coach Summers. “The Wildcats gave their very best effort and raised their level of play.”
The team views the Greenwich Academy game as a wake-up call on defending against corners in practice.
Going forward, the Wildcats play two away games, the first against Hackley on October 11, the next at St. Luke’s October 15.