A four-goal deficit late in the first half, against a Wilton squad out of the tough FCIAC, known for producing some of the best lacrosse teams in the state, didn’t faze Newtown High School’s girls’ squad. The host Nighthawks rallied to even the score before the Warriors scored late and went on to a 7-5 victory in the opening round of the Class L state tournament at Blue & Gold Stadium on Tuesday.

The sixth-seeded Nighthawks started to climb back against the 11th-ranked — deceptively at that — Warriors when Rylee Harrell beat the first half buzzer for a goal that made the score 5-2.

Newtown scored three unanswered second-half goals to even the score, capped by a Keeley Kortze free position shot bouncer with about nine minutes remaining. The tying goal was set by Harrell’s defensive end interception.

Wilton broke the tie with 5:05 remaining and added a goal with just 1:27 left as Newtown pressured the ball and went all-out for the turnover.

“They fought really hard,” Newtown Coach Maura Fletcher said of her Nighthawks. “The Wilton team just has quite a bit of talent on it. You see the speed they have, the ball movement they have.”

Fletcher was pleased with the way her squad defended, and pointed to the efforts of Harrell, Kiera Sughrue, and Colleen Phaneuf. Wilton typically wins about 85 percent of its draws, Fletcher said, but Newtown used Phaneuf’s left-handed approach to throw a curveball at the Warriors in the draw circle. It worked, with Phaneuf winning three of Newtown’s draw controls as the Nighthawks won five of the 12 draws overall.

Fletcher noted that Wilton has multiple Division I college recruits on the team.

“To see our team hang with a talented team like that with so much depth and speed makes me feel proud of the way my team played,” Fletcher said.

Wilton’s rides were trouble for the Nighthawks, Fletcher said. “They caused probably three or four turnovers that really hurt us toward the end of the game,” the coach added.

Julia Gerace scored twice, and Lu Hage also scored for the Nighthawks. Harrell and Kortze each had a goal and an assist. Newtown goaltender Tess Davenport made four saves.

“It’s unfortunate we had to meet so early in the state tournament,” Wilton coach Meredith Adamicki said. “I think it was a defensive battle. Both teams played some of the best defense I’ve seen all season, at times.”

“It’s a tough road,” Fletcher said of being a Class L school. “But I’m so proud of their effort today.”

Fletcher noted that while the setback was disappointing, she liked having a competitive game to close out the career for her seniors — Kortze, Ali Kelleher, Hage, Sughrue, and Davenport — and the campaign for the underclassmen.

“It’s a great way for the seniors to go out, a great way to end the season,” Fletcher said.