Page 228 - WHS FH 2014

"This is an entirely different team from last year's squad. A lot of people just assume it's the same," Hynes
said. Amanda Hendry made seven saves for top-seeded Wilton (17-3-1), which will meet second-seeded Hand
(19-2-1) in Saturday's final at Wethersfield at a time to be announced.
"I don't know how many shots on goal, but we had tons of opportunity," Crusaders coach Kate Cavanagh said.

"That was part of the postgame talk. In field hockey, it's the team that capitalizes, and they did a great job."

Last year's Wilton team beat
Lauralton Hall 1-0 in the Class M
final on Kirsten Godin's 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,"
Hynes said. "I knew that. Katie'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. Hynes loved the job her defense did once the Crusaders got the
ball near Hendry's cage, particularly sophomore Meredith Rappaport in the middle of the defense.

After a Lauralton Hall foul near the left sideline with just over seven minutes left, Delaney Baxendale carried to
the middle and fed Meg Cunningham, who got the ball to the net. Ward, open at the left post, slammed it home
on her second try.

The Crusaders cleared two Wilton corners with under six minutes left, but the Warriors broke in from midfield
after the second clear, and Ward fed Cunningham in front to put it away.

"They're a really tough team," Cavanagh said. "Those aerials are beautiful."

Wilton 2 Lauralton Hall 0

Records: Wilton 17-3-1; Lauralton Hall 16-4-1
Goals: W-Bridget Ward, Katherine Campbell
Assists: W – Meg Cunningham, Bridget Ward
Goalies: W-Amanda Hendry (7) saves LH MaryBeth Rudolf (2) saves.