NHS girls’ soccer—

Young NHS Squad Finds Winning Ways

By Andy Hutchison

Newtown High School’s girls’ soccer team has only one loss in its first seven games. The new-look Nighthawks have quickly overcome the loss of seven starters to graduation to start the season with a 3-1-3 record.

Early in the campaign, the team struggled to win, posting those three ties, and one loss, in its first five contests. Since then, a pair of wins and the performances on the field give Coach Marc Kenney the belief that his team has turned the corner and developed an ability to win close games.

“Those were good teams,” senior captain Taylor Smith said of the ties with Brookfield, Pomperaug and Immaculate. “I’m proud of the way we’ve played.”

The Nighthawks edged Bethel 1-0 on the road on October 2, thanks to Kaitlin Brophy’s net-finder. Newtown held a 1-0 halftime lead over Holy Cross before the rain picked up in intensity and washed out that contest on Saturday. (Melissa Buccino scored the goal before the game was called.) The game has been rescheduled for October 17 (2 pm at Blue & Gold Stadium). Kenney said it has not yet been determined if the teams will pick up where they left off, for the second half of soccer, or if the teams will start with a clean sheet and play a full game.

Newtown didn’t have to wait long to officially earn its next win. NHS blanked Stratford 4-0 at Treadwell Park on Monday. Freshman Amy Martin scored twice; fellow freshman Brittany Tolla also scored. Kelly O’Connor found the net as well.

The Nighthawks, all-in-all, have had a good start to the season and Kenney credits the upperclassmen for making the newcomers feel at home.

“I think the biggest thing is the team chemistry — the ability of the older kids to work in some of the newer kids and make them feel like they’re part of the team from day one,” the coach explained.

Senior captain Ally Modzelewski said it was a little tough in the beginning, but that “we’re starting to really come together.”

Kenney has been pleased with the emergence of the newcomers, including Martin and Tolla, who have provided a spark on offense.

“I’m pleased with their progress and we look forward to them being stalwarts and being good players for us for the next three and a half seasons,” he said.

The defense is anchored by Modzelewski and sophomore Maddie Keane, who have taken pressure off of goalkeeper Kate Pessin.

“Defensively, I think we’ve been outstanding and that’s always been a staple of the teams I’ve been fortunate to have had at Newtown over the last few seasons,” Kenney said. “I think the key for us is scoring goals.”

Last year’s graduating class included a bulk of the team’s goal-scoring weapons, and Kenney would like to see his team put more balls into the back of the net. Prior to the Stratford game, with exception to a 3-2 win over Oxford, the Nighthawks scored one or no goals in each game.

“I just think it’s going to take a little pressure off our backs to have to not give up goals,” Kenney said.

The Nighthawks expect to continue to improve as the season unfolds. “I think the farther along we get in the season the greater things you can expect from us,” senior captain Kristen Tanner said.

“I think we can go far. It’s definitely a challenge for us, but I think we can do well. We’ve just got to try our best and see where it takes us,” Smith said.

Newtown visits Notre Dame-Fairfield on Friday, October 9, then hosts the Masuk Panthers, who defeated NHS in the South-West Conference championship game last fall, on Saturday at Blue & Gold Stadium at 7 pm.