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11/21/2019 11:00 PMThe Branford field hockey team was eliminated from the Class M State Tournament when the Hornets took a 6-1 loss to Guilford in a semifinal game at Cheshire High School on Nov. 19. The Hornets finished with an overall record of 13-7-0-1 in a season that saw the team reach the semifinals of both the SCC and State tournaments.
No. 5 seed Branford went to Cheshire to take on undefeated No. 1 seed Guilford in the Class M semifinals. The Indians, who had recently won the SCC title, scored five goals during the first half for a 5-0 halftime advantage and went on to get a 6-1 victory to advance to the final.
With Branford trailing 6-0, senior Molly Zaffino scored a goal to get the Hornets on the board with 5:09 remaining in the game. Senior Maggie Martin had the assist on the goal. Senior goalie Gianna Messina made six saves for Branford.
Despite the defeat, Head Coach Pete Frye credited several athletes for playing great games against Guilford. Frye said the Hornets received solid performances from seniors Brianna Shaw, Karly King, Alexis Pepe, and Hailey Brunner; junior Jocelyn Smestad; sophomores Julia McHenry, Katie Laska, and Nora Longway; and freshmen Scout Engstrom, Gianna Bozzi, and Lauren Kendrick.
Branford advanced to the Class M semifinals by winning its first two games in the tournament. The Hornets posted a 4-0 home victory versus No. 12 Masuk in the first round and then notched a 2-0 win at No. 4 Pomperaug in quarterfinal action.
Branford qualified for the Class M State Tournament after finishing with a mark of 10-5-0-1 in the regular season. Prior to the state tourney, the Hornets competed in the SCC Tournament as the No. 3 seed. Branford recorded a 3-0 home win over No. 6 Mercy in the quarterfinals and dropped a 3-1 decision at No. 2 Amity in the semis.