Late-game efforts spark GFA
This week’s Greens Farms Academy events saw a number of late-game heroics to pull out wins and unlikely ties in the Dragons’ strong fall season showing.
From the girls field hockey team pulling out a latesecond win against rival King to the girls soccer squad eking out a 1-1 tie with undefeated Greenwich Academy, it was an exciting week for all involved.
Here’s a rundown of the week:
FIELD HOCKEY
For the second week in a row, GFA had a homecoming kickoff game against King, this time on the road during the Vikings’ special day in Stamford.
GFA was able to secure the win with seven seconds left on the clock on a perfectly executed corner from senior captain Lucy Holzinger (Westport).
GFA got onto the board very early on a perfect set piece set in motion from Holzinger to sophomore Zoe Koskinas (Fairifeld). Koskinas found freshman Anna Reynolds (Rowayton), who laid a perfect shot into the right side of the cage with 28:16 remaining in the first.
GFA finally earned another goal when Francesca DeVita (Darien) got the ball quickly to stick stopper Alex Nesi (Fairfield), who got the ball to Bryn Morrison (Weston). Morrison got the ball to Holzinger who slammed the ball in with 20:43 left in the game.
With 1:30 remaining, GFA earned a penalty corner. Even though Holzinger had to fight through two King sticks and three tackles, she earned GFA’s last corner of the match.
Morrison hit Nesi at the top of the circle where Holzinger and DeVita’s play resulted in a wide-open Holzinger at the left side of the circle.
The Dragons, who outshot King 5-2, improved to 7-2 on the season.
CROSS COUNTRY
GFA put two boys and two girls into the top 10 of Wednesday’s FAA cross country meet at Sherwood Island.
Caroline McCall (Westport) placed third in the girls race (20:25.2) with Haley Nilsson (Fairfield) taking a seventh place (21:28.4) for the Dragons.
In the boys race, Larson Palmgren (Fairfield, 18:40.6) and Conor Minson (Darien, 18:45.6) placed seventh and eighth.
Charlie Bohnsach (Darien) was 29th (19:58.6), Owen Minson (Darien) was 30th (19:59.1) and Jonty Hammer (Darien) was 46th (20:51.3) to round out GFA’s scorers.
A total of 115 runners finished the race.
Also in the girls race, Kira McCreesh (Southport) was 14th (22:42.8), Georgia Palmgren (Fairifeld) was 21st (23:31.1), Katie Gabriele (Westport) was 3th (24:29.3) and Kaitlin Reed (Southport) was 39th (24:34.2).
Eighty-four runners took part in the girls race.
BOYS SOCCER
The Dragons gave up a first-half goal 10 minutes in and couldn’t find the equalizer in falling to St. Luke’s by a 1-0 score on Tuesday.
Max Yates (Fairfield) made four saves for GFA.
The Dragons were able to bounce back as Zach Liston (Wilton) scored two goals and assisted on another to lead the Dragons to a 4-1 road win over Wooster School on Thursday.
Ethan Lior (Fairfield) added a goal and an assist and Henry Mcdonald (Westport) scored, as well, to help the Dragons to another win.
Yates made a pair of saves.
GFA played the last 66 minutes of the game a man down, but still held off Wooster for the win.
GFA closed out the win, falling on the road at King on Saturday.
Liam Murphy (Westport) scored GFA’s lone goal while Yates made four saves. GFA took eight shots in the game.
GIRLS SOCCER
Ella Murphy (Darien) and Kelly van Hoesen (Greenwich) each scored goals as the Dragons were forced to take a tie after RCD scored in the closing seconds.
Sarah Logan (Darien) notched an assist for GFA while goalkeeper Marygrace Dellisanti (Wilton) made seven saves.
Later in the week, the Dragons got first-half goals from Elyse Kimball (Westport) and Emma Smith (Southport) en route to posting a 2-0 win over Wooster School on Wednesday. Annika White (Southport) set up Kimball’s tally just three minutes into the game. Ten minutes later, Lauren Lior (Fairfield) hooked up Smith for another score and a 2-0 lead.
Lane Murphy (Darien) and Dellisanti combined for two saves for GFA.
GFA capped the week as Ella Murphy buried a 25yard direct kick with 13 minutes remaining to allow the Dragons to pull out a tie with undefeated Greenwich Academy.
Lane Murphy and Dellisanti split time in goal for GFA, combining to make five saves.
VOLLEYBALL
GFA made the long road trip to Canterbury School on Wednesday and came home with a 3-0 win.
The Dragons took the match 25-15, 25-18, 25-20.
Kirwan Carey (Westport) once again led the way with 11 kills, 6 blocks and 9 aces. Cayla Bernstein (Norwalk) chipped in with five kills while Kristiana Modzelewski (Westport) had four kills.
Alex Nason (Darien) had seven digs while Meg Nesi (Fairfield) had 13 assists and six aces.
After a thrilling, emotional, uplifting win against King at home last week, the Dragons headed to Stamford to take part in the Vikings’ homecoming festivities and were defeated to even the season series. King won match 25-18, 25-11, 25-16.
Carey had 14 kills to pace the Dragons. Bernstein added five kills while Nesi had 13 assists and Nason had six digs.
The Dragons hosted the Greenwich Academy Gators on Monday, falling by an 18-25, 13-25, 20-25 tally. Carey had nine kills and five blocks for GFA while Nesi had 14 assists. Modzelewski sent down four kills while Ava Ewing (Darien) had three kills.
GFA is now 10-4.