Page 247 - WHS FH 2014 Memory Book - Megan Cunningham

advantage (19:42) to the shock of the Warriors. “It was an open shot and I took it, hoping for the best,” Pavano
said with a laugh. “ With a 2- 0 lead, we felt like we could win, and it gave us a leg up. It’s so great (to win) and
we’ve been here five times before and haven’t walked away with it so to win it now is very satisfying.”

Wilton wasn’t about to give up, however, and brought the ball into its offensive third following the goal. The
Warriors’ pressure yielded a penalty corner and they cashed in on the opportunity with their first goal. Meg
Cunningham took the corner off to the right of the cage and passed into Mahon, who passed back to
Cunningham and she immediately went to goal. As the defense closed in, she found Godin at the left post and
she buried her shot into the right corner past goalie Melanie Rennie (one save) to cut the lead to one with 17:
16 on the clock.

“It was a disappointing outcome “- but us four seniors (Cunningham, Caroline Taverna and Delaney Baxendale)
couldn’t be prouder,” Godin said. “We’ve seen our whole team develop so well over the season and that’s
all that matters. We would’ve loved to win but we all worked so hard and we couldn’t be prouder. We never
gave up and fought to the last second.”

Cunningham was looking to become a four-time state champion, having been on the roster of all four
championship games, yet she said her team left everything on the field. “We didn’t come out as strong as we
normally do but I’m very proud,” she said. “ I’m as proud as if I did win because my team picked it up so much
and they went out there and fought to the very last second. It was a very good game, they (Hand) have very
good skill, and it was a good fight.”
Quality scoring chances were few and far between for the Warriors with the clock winding down. The Tigers
dodged a bullet when two of their better players receiving green cards in the final four minutes. Unfortunately,
Wilton couldn’t capitalize.

The Tigers were content to pack it in on defense with a lead, as the Warriors were looking to score the
equalizer. As a matter of fact, it appeared they scored with two minutes remaining, to the delight of the Wilton
faithful, yet the goal was waved off because the ball went off a player’s foot.

When all was said and done, Wilton came up one goal to Hand, but things could’ve been different if not for a
slow start. “If we played the first half like we did the second half, I think it would’ve been a different outcome,”
said Hynes, whose team’s last loss in states occurred in the first-round of 2010 tourney to New Canaan. “When
they got those two goals really quick in that minute, I think they then woke up but unfortunately we ran out of
time. We learned the hard way that you’ve got to play 60 minutes and you’ve got to finish.”