Newtown High School's girls' soccer team beat visiting Immaculate of Danbury 1-0 under the lights at Blue & Gold Stadium on Senior Night, October 13. The Nighthawks wore pink in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

With the victory, the Hawks ended a four-game winless stretch, during which they earned a pair of ties, to improve to 9-2-3, and the Mustangs fell to 6-2-5.

The lone goal came less than 11 minutes into the second half. Makenna Cerney dribbled down the right wing and crossed to Emma Curtis who tapped the ball back to Grace Corcoran for a blast that deflected off an Immaculate defender and over the goalkeeper before bouncing into the net.

Nighthawk goalkeeper Haley Taylor made a leaping save on a long free kick late in regulation to help preserve the win. Taylor and Megan Doyle, who guarded the goal in the first half, combined for seven saves.

"Our goalkeeping is amazing. We had two kids today who came through and were phenomenal," said Newtown Coach Marc Kenney, adding that his defense was solid as always.

After a somewhat of an uneventful first half, Newtown's offense clicked in the final 40 minutes, as the trio that accounted for the goal, along with Sarah Houle, and Julia Sughrue, generated several scoring chances.

"We just really found our groove offensively," Kenney said.

The win was a big one for the Nighthawks, especially given their recent bump in the road following a nine-game unbeaten streak to begin the season, Taylor noted. Not to mention the Mustangs came into the night with only one defeat and are last year's South-West Conference tournament runners-up.

"It feels really good, but it's also hard for me because (Immaculate Coach Nelson Mingachos) and I are really good friends," Kenney said.

The Newtown coach added that he and Mingachos are familiar with the opposing team's strategies. "It's competitive, and it's physical, and it's clean," Kenney said of the play on the field.

Newtown has just two games left in the regular season and is in good position to earn a top-four spot in the SWC, which would give it a first-round home game in the tournament.

"I think we're doing really well. Our team chemistry is really good," Taylor said. "If we keep working together we'll be golden."