Page 223 - WHS FH 2014

time to be announced. Last year's team beat Lauralton Hall 1-0 in the Class M final on a penalty-corner goal at
the end of overtime. The Warriors won by the same score Sept. 18 in the regular season. "(From) when we saw
them in the beginning of September to now, they've improved tremendously," Wilton coach Dierdre Hynes said.
"I knew that. Kati's an excellent coach. I knew they'd be out to get us."

The fourth-seeded Crusaders (16-4-1) were. They pressured Wilton up and down the field. They forced turnover
after turnover, disrupted passes upfield and tried to turn them all into offense. "They're great, aren't they?"
Cavanagh said about her team. "Their low-block tackles, the double teams, stepping up -- I mean, I can go
through the lineup kid after kid, I'm not going to single anyone out. They play hard, they intercept the ball, and
we look to push up on attack." They just couldn't push the ball over the line. Wilton wasn't generating much,
either, though, despite some sustained possession. Hynes, watching her injury-thinned team in a track meet, was
worried about overtime. She told her team to shoot more.

After a Lauralton Hall foul near the left sideline, Delaney Baxendale carried to the middle and fed Meg
Cunningham, who found Ward open at the left post. Ward slammed it home on her second try. Ward fed
Cunningham in front to put it away two minutes later and deny the Crusaders their third appearance in a CIAC
final in four seasons. "I think that we have established ourselves as a winning program," Cavanagh said. "I think
other teams in the state know who we are now, whereas they probably didn't before."

Class M semifinal LAURALTON HALL 0 0—0 WILTON 0 2—2
Records: Wilton 17-3-1; Lauralton Hall 16-4-1. Goals: W--Bridget Ward, Katherine Campbell; Assists: W--
Meg Cunningham, Ward; Goalies: W--Amanda Hendry (7); Shots: LH--7; W--4