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11/06/2016 12:00 AMThe Valley Regional field hockey team came up just short of winning the Shoreline Conference Tournament championship by taking a hard-fought, 1-0 loss to Westbrook in the final at the Indian River Complex in Clinton on Nov. 3. The Warriors are now 8-8-2 on the season and will compete in the Class S State Tournament that starts this week.
To get the Shoreline Conference final, Valley came away with a big 2-1 win against defending champion Haddam-Killingworth in a semifinal contest at the Indian River Complex on Nov. 1. Senior co-captain Francesca Daniels scored both goals for the Warriors in the first half of the matchup. Daniels’s first goal was assisted by freshman Riley Milburn with 15:39 to play in the opening frame and the second goal came unassisted with 1:15 remaining as Valley took a 2-1 lead to the break and then held on for the victory.
“It was a marquee win this season. During the regular season, we lost to Haddam-Killingworth [twice by 2-1 finals] and so we reversed the score,” Head Coach Beth McCabe Powers said. “Last year, we graduated 10 players and, with that, we still made it to where we are now.”
Coming off such a notable win, the Warriors continued to exhibit their fearless play against Westbrook with the conference title on the line. With about 16 minutes left in the first half, Westbrook senior Alexa Mulvihill, the Shoreline Conference Player of the Year, executed a stunning shot as she converted on a reverse sweep to score the only goal of the night.
“It was one spectacular shot,” said Coach McCabe Powers.
However, going down without a fight wasn’t an option for the Warriors, who forced four penalty corners during the second half as they battled for a tying goal. On the fourth try, Daniels took a shot that nearly netted the equalizer. Valley’s defense also stayed tenacious for the rest of the game and junior goalkeeper Logan Burdick ended the contest with five valuable saves against Westbrook (16-1-1).
“We played awesome,” McCabe Powers said. “It was a super-solid game. My kids are riding the wave of happiness and, with a young team, having that kind of momentum is very important.”
Senior co-captain Maria Pittsinger, sophomore Annie Cooper, and sophomore Olivia Kollmer turned in solid performances in the championship contest. Kollmer defended for the first half and was then moved to midfielder midway through the game. She took on the adjustment and handled the role with poise, according to Coach McCabe Powers. Additionally, three freshmen played for the Warriors in Milburn, Kate O’Brien, and Ruby O’Lynnger. Fellow freshmen Riley Bauer and Elena Peterlik also dressed for the game.
Of course, the Warriors felt some disappointment with the loss, but Coach McCabe Powers explained that her athletes weren’t crushed because they know they gave everything they had.
“We left it all on the field and gave it our best shot,” she said.
After making their mark in the Shoreline Conference Tournament, the Warriors are entering the Class S State Tournament with confidence. Valley is the No. 12 seed and will play at No. 5 North Branford in the first round at 4 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 7. If the Warriors win, they’ll either play at No. 4 Granby or host No. 12 Shepaug in the quarterfinals on Thursday, Nov. 10.
“There is nothing new or extra going on in our practices. We know North Branford and their key players just as they know us. There is no magic hill to cross,” McCabe Powers said. “At this point, I am just managing everyone’s energy and I can say that our heads are in a good place. The learning component of the season is done and it is important to remain confident and continue what we’ve been doing all season.”
Coach McCabe Powers concluded by saying that she’s pleased with how year’s team has progressed and, with a class of 16 freshmen on board, she’s also eager to see what the following seasons will have in store for the Warriors.
“I am super excited about how successful we have been thus far. And we will only continue to get better,” she said. “We have a monster freshmen class that is learning very quickly. I will be able to sub more readily and have efficient players starting and coming off.”
The Shoreline also announced its All-Conference selections for the 2016 season. Daniels made the First Team as a forward, while Pittsinger made the First Team as a back. Junior midfielder Emily Peterson was a Second Team selection for the Warriors.