By Kim J. Harmon

MILFORD – Even if it wouldn’t be qualifying for the South-West Conference or State Coaches’ Tournaments, at least the Newtown High School girls’ lacrosse team would go out winning.

With Karli Beitel and Kat McDonald scoring two goals apiece, Newtown defeated Lauralton Hall, 8-7, and finished the 2003 season at 7-9. Kelley Rodden, Heidi Ekstrom, Lindsay Coyle and Megan Regnery also scored.

Heading into the weekend, the Lady Nighthawks had a fighting (if not slim) chance at an SWC playoff berth but needed, at the very least, to win their final three games. A thrilling 12-11 sudden death overtime win over Brookfield last Thursday was the first step, but a loss to New Milford on Friday (Senior Night) put a formal end to the notion of a postseason run.

The win over Brookfield (on a sodden field and under a veil of drizzle) was a shootout…but mostly in the first half. Fifteen shots hit the net in the opening stanza and when halftime rolled around the Bobcats had a 9-6 lead.

But the ‘Hawks rallied in the second half and managed to send the game into overtime knotted at 10-10. After the first overtime period yielded no result (each team scored once), the game went into sudden death and that’s where Coyle put an end to it with her second goal on the afternoon.

Regnery led the way with six goals (the same amount the prolific Becca Foy scored to lead Brookfield). Collier added a pair of goals while Beitel and Kate Fenton scored one apiece. Coyle and Robin Pacheco dished off two assists apiece with Beitel, Ekstrom and Collier registering one assist apiece.

Jenny Urfer made 16 saves in the game.

The following night the ‘Hawks bid farewell to their seniors (co-captain Rodden, Pacheco, co-captain Amanda Molden, Kristen McGrath, Kathryn McDonald and Kelley Coney), but the circumstances were unfortunate. New Milford pinned a loss on the ‘Hawks.