Looking to bolster its playoff readiness, Newtown High School’s girls’ lacrosse team took on a pair of tough nonconference teams this past week. The Nighthawks saw their six-game unbeaten streak end in a hard-fought 12-10 setback at FCIAC foe Ridgefield on May 2, then came up a bit short in a 14-10 outcome at Southern Connecticut Conference opponent Cheshire two days later. Newtown bounced back with a 16-0 win over visiting Notre Dame-Fairfield at Treadwell Park on May 7.

Against Ridgefield, Ali Kelleher had four goals and an assist, Rylee Harrell netted three goals and an assist, Julia Gerace and Keeley Kortze both had a goal and an assist, and Elena Sughrue also scored. Newtown goaltender Catie Gregory made 11 saves.

In the Cheshire contest, Harrell scored three times, Kelleher and Julia Gerace both scored twice, and Isabelle Butler, Kortze, and Sughrue each added a goal. Kelleher had two assists, and Harrell assisted a tally.

While the win over the Lancers will improve Newtown’s postseason positioning, the defeats to Ridgefield and Cheshire will better prepare Newtown for advancement in the playoffs.

“It was a great loss. We were down 4-1 early and then played even with them for the whole rest of the game,” Newtown Coach Maura Fletcher said of her team’s effort against Ridgefield, a 7-4 team that plays out of the ultra-tough FCIAC. “And the same thing happened against Cheshire.”

The Rams (a Southern Connecticut Conference team with a 12-1 mark and ranked first in Class L) jumped out to a 4-0 lead before Newtown matched goals with its opponent.

“I think it’s just a little bit of an intimidation factor,” said Fletcher, adding that her team members gained confidence in these contests.

The younger and lesser-experienced Nighthawks had a chance to gain some confidence in the win over Notre Dame as Newtown won with ease to improve to 9-3-1 overall and 8-1 in conference play; ranked eighth in Class L.

Newtown got two goals each from Gerace, Butler, Kelleher, Sughrue, Maggie McInerney, Erin Phaneuf, and Gia Corso. Shea Murphy and Kortze both scored once and had two assists. Summer Pisacich, Phaneuf, and Ella Hage each had two assists, and Corso also set up a goal.

Up next for the Nighthawks, following Thursday’s visit to Bethel at 5 pm, is another potentially challenging contest with an FCIAC foe. Fairfield Warde (5-8) visits Blue & Gold Stadium on Saturday, May 11, for an 11 am contest.

“We know they play a tight zone. It will be good for us to practice our offense against their zone defense as we get ready for our conference tournament,” Fletcher said.

Newtown concludes the regular slate with a Monday, May 13, home tilt with Brookfield at Blue & Gold Stadium starting at 7 pm. Then it’s on to the South-West Conference playoffs.