This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
10/13/2019 12:00 AMFor the first time in nearly a decade, the Morgan field hockey team has punched its ticket to the postseason. The Huskies qualified for the Class S State Tournament by earning a 2-0 road win against Haddam-Killingworth on Oct. 11, resulting in their first berth in states since the 2010 campaign. Morgan, which also lost to Valley Regional and defeated Windsor last week, now stands with an overall record of 6-4-1 on the year.
“This is a big accomplishment,” Head Coach Emily Lisy said of making states. “We are all super excited that all the hard work is paying off.”
Coach Lisy’s team claimed a pair of victories in last week’s action. After taking a 1-0 home loss to Valley Regional on Oct. 7, Morgan bounced back with 7-2 win versus non-conference opponent Windsor at the Indian River Complex two days later.
Senior captain Aryn McQuarrie scored three goals and assisted on two others for the Huskies. Senior Emma Farrell had two goals with two assists, senior captain Delaney Mastriano chipped in with a goal and an assist, while junior Nori Lopez added a goal. Junior goalie Abby Norton made two saves in the victory.
On Oct. 11, Morgan capped off its week by beating Haddam-Killingworth for the second time this year. The Huskies notched a 2-0 win at H-K to qualify for states and also complete a season sweep of the Cougars, who they had previously defeated by a 3-0 score back on Sept. 13.
Farrell netted the first goal of the day on an assist by Mastriano to put Morgan up 1-0. Lopez gave the Huskies some insurance when she scored a goal on a helper from Farrell. Gordon stopped two shots to get the shutout in net.
With the win, Morgan improved to 2-4 in the Shoreline Conference with four league games remaining. The Huskies are currently in fourth place in the standings and need to hold on to that spot as the top four teams advance to the Shoreline Conference Tournament.
Morgan’s victory over H-K wasn’t just important in terms of postseason seeding. It also marked the Huskies’ first win on a grass field this year. Success on a natural surface will be key down the stretch for Morgan, which still has to play games against Westbrook and Valley Regional on grass fields.
“It was our first game on grass, so it was an adjustment,” Coach Lisy said. “But I thought the girls handled it well.”
Lisy, who is in her second year as the Huskies’ head coach, said that the team’s run to the postseason hasn’t come as a surprise. Morgan returned plenty of talent throughout the field this fall, led by seniors like by Farrell, Mastriano, Gordon, and McQuarrie, who came into the campaign with varsity experience. McQuarrie, Mastriano, and fellow senior Jillian Crowley are the Huskies’ captains.
“We expected to be here this year,” said Lisy. “We have a lot of strong players back. We have a good group, and they are in each area of the field, which is kind of nice.”
Following a coaching stint at Westhill High School in Stamford, Lisy came to Morgan with an emphasis on teamwork. The Huskies have embodied their coach’s mantra, propelling them to one of their best campaigns in recent memory.
“We always want to work as a team. We focus on that and playing through everybody,” she said. “That’s always been my focus—back each other up, communicate. If we lose the ball, work together and get it back to keep battling through.”
Only one game separates Morgan and fifth-ranked Valley Regional in the Shoreline Conference standings. The final spot in the Conference Tournament may come down to when those two teams meet for their regular-season finale in Deep River on Oct. 28.
Between now and then, Coach Lisy wants to keep things simple.
“Work on the little things—positioning, marking up, stopping the ball—all the little things,” said Lisy. “We want to improve on all of those type of things to get to where we are supposed to be.”