Tied up in a 1-1 contest with the clock ticking away, the field was seemingly slated in favor of the Nighthawks. Newtown High School’s girls’ soccer team was dominating the possession game, piling up the chances, and keeping visiting New Milford on its heels in its Senior Night contest at Blue & Gold Stadium on October 19. Finally, with 16:19 to play, senior captain Izzy Caron came through when she roofed a shot under the cross bar. The Nighthawks added one more and escaped with a 3-1 victory.

“It took a lot of pressure off absolutely everyone all over the field,” Newtown Coach Adam Bourret said of Caron’s tie-breaking tally, set up on a cross by Kenzie Del Pozo from the right side. “We were just peppering their goal, peppering their goal.”

To the tune of a 12-2 shots on goal advantage. Throughout much of the night, and pretty much all of the second half, each time the visiting Green Wave attempted a clearance from its defensive end the Hawks were there to cut off the play and get possession.

“It was super special on Senior Night,” Caron said of the feeling of netting that crucial goal.

Caron, Ana Morris, Aashini Shetty, Teagan Waaler, Hannah Stowe, and Maddy Gioele repeatedly intercepted clears and passes at and around the mid line and help create offense for the Hawks. Brooke Jackson, Leah Morris, Sydney Oltran, Sara Premus, and Ella Morits were among those who generated scoring opportunities with strong dribbling and passing up top.

Oltran, who scored in the first half — it was 1-1 at the break — added her second of the game with 3:12 to go. Premus assisted the first goal and Morits set up the insurance tally. The third goal was initiated by a long throw in from Morris. Oltran crossed the ball then got it back when Morits centered from the left side.

Newtown used its speed to pressure the Wave all night long and finished with a 5-1 corner kick advantage. Bourret was pleased with the play but wants to see his team finish more opportunities.

This was a nice bounce-back for the Hawks who were coming off a 3-0 defeat to Notre Dame-Fairfield two days earlier.

“I think it was really good to overcome a setback. It feels good to come back, especially on Senior Night,” said Morits, a senior captain.

The Nighthawks played their second tilt of the season against another South-West Conference rival, Masuk of Monroe, this time on the road, on October 23; NHS won the first meeting 2-0 in the rain a month earlier. The teams played to a scoreless tie in the rematch. The Hawks needed at least a point to earn the SWC's No. 6 seed and got it.

“It’s tough to beat a team twice in a season,” Bourret noted.

Every win is key down the stretch as the Nighthawks, who will be on the road in the conference tourney, look to bolster their state playoff seeding.

“We have a ton to play for. We need the points,” he said following the New Milford game.

Newtown carried an overall record of 8-5-2 into Thursday’s regular-season finale with nonconference foe Suffield. The Hawks are hoping late-season success they have will carry over into the SWC and state playoffs.

“That’s what we’re working for,” Del Pozo said.

The postseason kicks off with the conference playoffs, scheduled to begin Saturday, October 28, when Newtown visits Weston at 4 pm (game times subject to change).

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.