By BRIAN JENNINGS
STAFF WRITER
The Lady Knight field hockey team experienced the toughest stretch of their regular season schedule, and it showed with back-to-back shutouts at Glastonbury and Enfield.
Despite the loss, Coach Erin Luddy said she was pleased with her team, and with 12 games of lighter opponents remaining on their regular season schedule, there’s still plenty of time to make a run at the postseason.
“There wasn’t any lapse really of not playing and just waiting for the time to tick by,” said Luddy. “We stood our ground, and for that 60 minutes, we fought. Going forward, that’s a positive.”
The Knightsare still looking for their second win of the season when they face divisional opponents South Windsor (4-0-1) and East Catholic (3-1) this week. Due to construction of the high school’s track, both games will be moved from the turf field to the grass field.
Southington is currently 1-3.
Loss at Glastonbury
SEPT. 19—The Knights suffered their second-straight loss and first shutout of the season after being held scoreless, 5-0, at divisional Glastonbury on Tuesday. The Tomahawks are currently tied for first in Class L and the CCC.
Southington held Glastonbury for most of the first half until the Tomahawks put their first ball in back of the cage off a penalty stroke with 46 seconds remaining before halftime.
“We really showed up to play, and the first half was amazing,” said Southington assistant coach Jill Pomposi. “We gave up a goal to a stroke, which sucked, but it happens. It’s no one’s fault and wasn’t the defining point when we changed.”
The Tomahawks spread out the rest of their goals throughout the second half. The Knights were held to just two shots on goal, along with four penalty corners. Maddie Belfonti saved nine shots in the cage.
“We still came out okay in the second, but we kind of felt like calls weren’t going our way and things weren’t being seen,” said Pomposi. “We really got deflated after the second goal.”
Loss at Enfield
SEPT. 22—A few days later, the Knights suffered their third-straight loss and another 5-0 shutout, falling at Enfield on Friday. The Eagles are currently tied for first in Class L and the CCC.
The Eagles scored three goals in the first half and two in the second. The Knights took just three shots on goal. Belfonti saved 18 shots in the cage.
“Maddie played phenomenally,” said Luddy. “She was clearing and staying on top of it. I think the score could have gotten a lot more out of control had Maddie not been in the cage.”
For this week’s box scores, click here: (southingtonobserver.com/2017/09/26/weekly-scoreboard-for-the-sept-29-edition). To contact sports writer Brian Jennings, email him at BJennings@SouthingtonObserver.com.