Page 238 - WHS FH 2014 Memory Book - Megan Cunningham

Hendry finished with seven saves in goal for Wilton. Meg Cunningham and Ward each had an assist. For the
game, Lauralton Hall had a 7-6 edge in corners and 7-3 advantage in shots on goal.

“I’ve been on that end. It’s very frustrating and my heart goes out to them,” said coach Hynes of the Crusaders’
inability to score despite many chances. Hynes praised the play of her defensive backline of Caroline Taverna,
Meredith Rappaport and Jess Hendry, which had its hands full all night and did a solid job keeping the
Crusaders from putting the ball into the goal.

“I thought our defensive line did an excellent job. Meredith Rappaport continually stopped any momentum from
the middle,” she said. “The defensive line, I think, probably had one of their best games tonight all season, and
(most) challenging. Across the board, right, center and left, I think they were all tested, and Amanda stepped up,
too.”

The Crusaders tested the Warriors early in the game, with three penalty corners in the first six minutes that saw
one blast go wide and another stopped by Hendry, plus a ball in front that a Lauralton player couldn’t connect
on for a wide-open shot. The Crusaders appeared to have scored with 18:20 left in the first half, but the play had
been blown dead before the shot. The Crusaders did an excellent job blocking Wilton attacks and then sending
long balls the other way, forcing Hendry to kick away several balls in the arc.

Wilton’s first real scoring chance didn’t happen until 16:30 left in the half, when Jillian Mahon’s hard hit from
the sidelines deflected in front of the goal, but then rolled through harmlessly. With 15 minutes left in the half,
on another corner, Lauralton had another chance when Alexa Dawid’s shot was stopped by Hendry.

Wilton picked up its play in the final 15 minutes of the half, and got its first penalty corner with 11:30 left. The
play resulted in a scramble in front, and a save. Cunningham’s run into the arc with six minutes left was defused
when goalie Mary-Beth Rudolph kicked the ball clear. About a minute later, another hit by Mahon from outside
the arc had Campbell open, but the ball bounced past her stick.

Lauralton had a 6-1 edge in shots at goal in the half, and 4-2 edge in penalty corners. The action continued to be
fast-paced and hard played in the second half, with the ball going up and down the length of the field. Wilton
had some promising early attacks, before Lauralton seized the momentum. The Crusaders had some golden
chances, with Hendry stopping a shot by Victoria Stapleton at 24:40, and denying Kiley Forrest right in front of
the goal at 21:40.

With 13 minutes left, Hendry came out to again block a shot in front by Forrest, with Taverna making a timely
clear to defuse the danger. Later, after two more Lauralton corners, a pass by Grace Cogguillo had Michaela
O’Donnell wide open five yards in front of the goal, but she couldn’t control the pass.

The game’s first goal was initiated by a great play by Kristen Godin, who won a ball outside the arc and sent a
pass in, which Cunningham deflected to the left of the goal, where it was knocked in by Ward on her second
attempt, after Rudolph stopped the first shot.

The Warriors kept the pressure on, with two penalty corners in the next 90 seconds, and finally scored again
with 4:55 left when Ward’s pass from the corner bounced past several players, and Rudolph, and was knocked
into the open cage by Campbell.

“I’m extremely proud of our girls for how long we’ve come because this is an entirely different team from last
year’s squad,” said Hynes.” Lauralton coach Cavanagh was proud of her team’s effort, and praised Wilton’s
play, as well.

“They’re a really tough team. Their aerials are beautiful. I haven’t seen aerials that good in the college game,”
she said. “I think we have established ourselves as a winning program. I think other teams in the state know
who we are now.”