Page 183 - WHS FH 2014

The Warriors avoided their second loss in four days to the Cardinals, who handed Wilton its first in-state defeat
in last Wednesday’s regular-season finale, 2-1. On Saturday, the Warriors were in control in the first half, with a
9-0 edge in shots on goal and 6-0 edge in penalty corners, but couldn’t get the ball past Greenwich goalie Leah
Hotaling, who made nine first-half saves. The Cardinals came out strong in the second half and scored on their
first shot on goal of the game 6:08 into the half, as Paige Mautner tallied off an assist from Erika Hvolbeck.
Wilton tied the game with 7:12 left in regulation, when Susie Clasby scored on a penalty corner to make it 1-1.

The teams played seven-on-seven in the overtime periods, with Greenwich having some of its best pressure of
the game during the first 10-minute overtime. Delaney Baxendale had a couple of key blocks in front of the
Wilton goal. The Warriors had three great chances during one sequence late in the period, with Hotaling making
a pair of big saves. The winning goal early in the second overtime came off a penalty corner, as Cunningham
was able to beat Hotaling — who had come out of the goal — to the ball and poked it to middle of the arc,
where she put a shot into the open cage for the win.

“There’s no way to describe it. It was such good feeling,” said Cunningham. “And to do it for my team, that’s
all I really want to do, because it’s our year. I can feel it. Our team, we’re very close and very connected, and I
think we can go really far if we really want to.”

For the game, Wilton had 17 shots to Greenwich’s four, and had a 15-6 edge in penalty corners. Hotaling had a
tremendous game with 15 saves. Amanda Hendry made three saves for Wilton, including a superb kick save on
Mautner’s shot with 8:15 left in regulation to keep it a 1-0 game.

Cunningham said the Warriors never lost confidence, despite falling behind in the second half.

“It took us a while to get a little more connected. We just had to stick together and ride it out,” she said. “We
have to keep our minds in the game or else we’re defeating ourselves. I think my team is very good at keeping
the confidence within each other and pumping up everyone on the team.”