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11/06/2016 12:00 AMThe Westbrook field hockey team’s dream season continued when the Knights earned a 1-0 victory over Valley Regional in the championship game of the Shoreline Conference Tournament at Indian River Complex in Clinton on Nov. 3. The win moved to the Knights to 16-1-1 on the season and marked the team’s first conference tournament title. Westbrook had won the Shoreline’s regular season championship four times in Head Coach Janet Dickey’s tenure prior to the tourney’s inception two years ago, when the Knights lost to North Branford in the final.
“Oh my God. I’m so overwhelmed. I think it’s wonderful, overwhelming, and unbelievable,” said Dickey, who earned her 200th career win earlier this season. “If somebody told me that this is the way it was going to go when I first started coaching, then I’d go buy a lotto ticket because I wouldn’t have believed them.”
Senior Alexa Mulvihill, who was named the Shoreline Conference Player of the Year and set Westbrook’s single-season scoring mark this season, scored the lone goal when the 2nd-seeded Knights edged No. 4 Valley to take the Shoreline title. Mulvihill’s 30th goal of the season came with 16:24 to go in the game as she made a move into the circle and fired a shot past Valley goalie Logan Burdick. Westbrook goalie Lauren Wright made one save for the shutout.
“It was a relief for the first couple of minutes. Then we got a sense of we really need an insurance goal to seal the deal,” Dickey on her team’s demeanor following the goal. “I never felt that game was over until the final buzzer went off. It was actually more nerve-wracking than if it would’ve been tied I feel like.”
Coach Dickey said she was impressed by the turnout at the conference final and felt that all the support from the school and the Westbrook community provided a great atmosphere for her team to play in.
“It was fantastic for the girls to experience and for our town to be so supportive of us. It was wonderful to see the support it generated,” she said. “We had such a wonderful group of fans. Our stands were full. They were cheering. It was just an electric atmosphere. It was such a fun thing for the kids to experience.”
To get to the championship contest, Westbrook defeated No. 3 seed North Branford 3-2 in the semis on Nov. 1. The Knights had previously defeated the Thunderbirds by 1-0 scores twice during the regular season.
“The thing we discussed the most about that was is that it’s difficult to beat any team three times in one season, let alone a team with as many weapons as North Branford,” Dickey said. “We wanted to stay within our game-plan and stay on track. The girls were really excited to go and play and I didn’t think they were overconfident. They had the right amount of confidence in themselves and our game-plan.”
The Knights’ defense played stellar and held North Branford to just two shots on net, although they both slipped past Wright. Coach Dickey said that Wright and company were able to shake it off as Westbrook rallied from a one-goal deficit to get the 3-2 win.
“That could’ve been a game that was 2-0 if we didn’t put the ball in the net on the other end. I’m glad we kept shooting and knocking on the door. Lauren was a bit jittery, but did a great job of staying composed. They all did,” Dickey said. “It speaks to our senior leadership. That’s always part of the game-plan: minimize shots on goal and keep possession of the ball in our end. I think they knew they had to pick Lauren up a little bit, dug deep, and found a way to get it done.”
Sophomore Avery Bauman scored twice for the Knights and both goals were assisted by Mulvihill and senior Zoe Ehlert. Mulvihill also scored a goal that was assisted by Ehlert and freshman Alex Young.
“We had been working with Avery for a while on some things,” Dickey said. “They all clicked for her that night, which was awesome to see.”
Bauman scored the first goal of the game, after which North Branford’s Sydney Hogan scored the next two to put the T-Birds ahead 2-1 around six minutes into the second half. However, Mulvihill’s goal tied the game midway through the frame and then Bauman netted the game-winner with just 2:39 to play.
“I was excited to see them do that. That’s not something we’re traditionally known for,” said Dickey of the come-from-behind effort. “The fact they were determined and gritted it out to get the job done was exciting for me to see going into states. I know they have it in them now. I’m so glad I was able to see them dig deep and come back.”
• In addition to senior forward Alexa Mulvihill, who was named the Shoreline Conference Player of the Year, Westbrook saw senior back Zoe Ehlert and senior midfielder Lauren Kane earn All-Conference First Team honors.
• Senior back Cassie Vitti, senior forward Biance Ferrucci, and junior goalkeeper Lauren Wright played their way to spots on the All-Shoreline Conference Second Team this fall.
• In the Class S State Tournament, Westbrook is the top seed and hosted a familiar foe in No. 16 Old Saybrook (6-9-1) in the first round on Nov. 8 (after press time). If the Knights win, they’ll host the winner of No. 8 New Fairfield and No. 9 Thomaston in the quarterfinals on Thursday, Nov. 10.