Martin Helps Lift NHS Girls To State Soccer Semifinals

By Andy Hutchison

Amy Martin scored two first-half goals to lead the Newtown High School girls’ soccer team to a 2-1 win over host South Windsor in the Class LL state tournament quarterfinals on Wednesday, November 14.

No. 6 Newtown knocked off No. 3 South Windsor to earn a berth in the November 17 semifinals against the winner of No. 2 Middletown and No. 26 New Milford (check the sports webpage at www.NewtownBee.com for game time, location, and updates).

The first goal was set up by Melissa Buccino. Martin’s second goal, which proved to be the difference-maker, came on a 20-yard free kick.

Martin entered the game with the hot scoring foot. A pair of free kicks by Martin, backed by an overall tenacious Nighthawks effort, propelled the team past Greenwich on November 12, and into the quarterfinals.

Martin scored twice on long direct kicks, one from about 25 yards out and the other from just under 30 yards away, as Newtown blanked No. 11 Greenwich 2-0 in the second round clash at Blue & Gold Stadium.

“It’s nice to see not just her but everyone make it happen,” said Newtown Coach Marc Kenney, crediting his entire team for getting this far. “They deserve whatever they’re able to achieve and it’s nice to be able to coach them.”

Martin’s goals in the Greenwich game were nearly mirror images of each other and came at roughly the same time in each half — the first with 32:31 showing on the opening half scoreboard clock and the second with 32:16 left in the game. Her second booming shot, once it sailed over the leap of Greenwich goalkeeper Kyle Ginsberg, gave Newtown an unfamiliar feeling of having some breathing room.

The Nighthawks were coming off a 1-0 nail-biting win over Staples of Westport in the opening round of the tourney on November 9, after falling in a 2-1 heartbreaker to Immaculate of Danbury in the South-West Conference championship game. Newtown had beaten Masuk of Monroe 1-0 in the SWC semifinals after blanking Pomperaug of Southbury 1-0 in the quarters. In each of those games, Newtown’s goals were second-half tallies.

“It’s nice to score in the first half for the first time in I don’t know how long. I wasn’t sure it counted,” Newtown Coach Marc Kenney joked.

“It definitely feels good to get more than a one-goal lead. We’ve had a lot of close games lately,” said Martin, crediting her teammates for helping to make the goals possible.

The Nighthawks used an all-out, hustle-for-every-ball approach to pressure Greenwich throughout the game. It was a physical but clean battle throughout, with players repeatedly making contact with one another as they fought for every ball. Martin’s insurance goal was set up by the efforts of Buccino whose hard work led to her being tripped up and a foul.

Kenney moved the always aggressive, and fast, Bridget Power to the back to help counter Greenwich’s attacks and it seemed to pay off. In the end, Newtown generated more scoring chances. Ginsberg made ten saves and NHS keeper Caitlin Yakush had seven.

“It’s a huge win for this program against an outstanding team,” Kenney said.

In their first round state tourney game, the Hawks carried a 1-0 lead into halftime on a Brittany Tolla net-finder set up by Martin. No. 27 Staples had a last-second chance to tie the game, only to narrowly miss, sending the Hawks into the second round.

Staples defender Julia Tziolis booted a long, desperation attempt into the 18-yard box. A frenzy ensued and the ball glanced off the foot of Staples player Chloe Rosenfield whereupon Hannah Lewis took a sharp-angle shot that went through a cluster of players and just wide as the final horn sounded.

“After Tuesday night I think we deserved a little bit of a break,” said Newtown Coach Marc Kenney, alluding to his team’s 2-1 loss to Immaculate of Danbury in the SWC title game, one in which the Hawks led late only to see Immaculate cash in on a pair of corner kick setups to grab the victory.

Kenney said he was looking forward to a couple of days of practice before the second round battle with Greenwich. The NHS coach said he felt his team had a bit of a hangover from that SWC title game defeat, and that the Hawks didn’t play particularly well. “We just have to shake the rust off a little bit,” he said.

Newtown certainly did shake off the rust in the Greenwich game. “To get this far for the second year in a row, to get this deep in the state tournament for the second year in a row, is special,” Kenney said before Newtown went on to reach the semis.

Newtown also reached the semifinals last fall, also as a No. 6 seed, and fell to eventual runner-up Trumbull.

Yakush, borrowing a statement from teammate Tressa Scott, said “we started off as a group of girls and we’ve become sisters.”

The NHS keeper added that the player togetherness made it enjoyable to come to practice every day. “It’s work but it’s fun work. We love it,” she said.

“Our camaraderie is what makes us work for each other,” Martin added. “We had so much fun this season. I think we’re the closest group I’ve ever been a part of.”