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It was a frustrating afternoon for the Fairfield Ludlowe field hockey team. Hoping to exact a measure of revenge against Staples in a rematch of last year's qualifying round, the Falcons had plenty of opportunities to do just that Friday. Staples' Shelby Phares dashed those hopes in the final minute of overtime of a very evenly matched game, as Ludlowe fell, 1-0.
"The girls just came off two really tough games, so they were a little tired," Ludlowe head coach Cathleen Hamill said. "We need to regroup a little bit. It was a little disappointing, but we're moving forward from this game."
Each team traded blow for blow, with Staples equaling Ludlowe in shots on goal (6) and penalty corner shots (9), taking nearly 70 minutes to put it away. Both teams had plenty of opportunities to score, but goalies Jenn Hoets for Staples and Jillian Moffett for Ludlowe brought their A-games. In the end, Hoets was just one save better.
Fairfield's best opportunity came late in the second half when Staples was called for a foul inside the box, giving Elise Perazzini a chance at a penalty shot. She lifted a wrister high and wide-left, though, keeping the game scoreless. It was a frustrating day of close calls, but with the growing rivalry between Staples and Ludlowe field hockey, the girls hope they will have another shot at the Wreckers.
"We hope we see them again," Hamill said. "We really do have the capability to go pretty far. We have a tough schedule with a lot of games back-to-back. These girls put in a lot of effort, though, and I look forward to doing well."
Ludlowe now stands at 2-2 on the season. They have to bounce back quickly from a long, tiring game as they take on Trumbull Saturday.
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