Ludlowe field hockey wins again

Written by Mike Suppe, Assistant Sports Editor
Thursday, 05 November 2009 11:20

Entering its regular-season finale against Trumbull High, the Fairfield Ludlowe High field hockey team had already punched its ticket to the postseason.

Coming off a 4-0 win over Stamford High on Oct. 27, the Falcons finished off their regular-season slate with a 3-0 triumph over Trumbull High at Emil Taft Field.

Ludlowe (7-5-3) will participate in the Class L state tournament for the first time ever. The qualifying rounds of the tournament begin on Nov. 9, with first-round action set for Nov. 11.

“It’s exciting,” Ludlowe coach Cathy Hamill said. “They’ve worked together as a team all season and tonight was an especially great demonstration of that. We were all here mentally and very charged up.”

In its shutout victory over Trumbull, Katie Urquhart and Mary Delabertie struck for goals in the first half, while Alana Fitzpatrick added a second-half stroke to seal the victory.

Urquhart buried the opening marker with 12:56 left in the first half, lashing her shot into the right corner of the Trumbull cage.

Megan Reilly set up the second Falcon goal, placing a center pass across the middle that Delabertie pounced on.

Armed with a 2-0 advantage, the defensive corps of Holly Hoffman, Elise Perazzini and Courtney Keegan kept the Trumbull attack at bay away from keeper Jillian Moffatt.

At the start of the second half, Perazzini broke up a Trumbull attack, before Fitzpatrick dragged a shot wide of the Eagle net.

Reilly set up the final goal of the game with a swift pass to Fitzpatrick out in front of the cage.

Fitzpatrick tipped the shot in to push the Falcon lead to 3-0.

Urquhart carried the ball out of the Ludlowe defensive half to break up a Trumbull attack, and Delabertie and Sarah Davis combined to shut down another Eagle burst to preserve the shutout.

“I’m proud of all of them, especially the seniors,” Hamill said. “They’re just the loveliest group of girls I’ve coached. I enjoy being with them every day.”

In the win over Stamford (2-14), Reilly, Melissa Warten, Haley Lynch and Molly Cullinan notched the goals as the Falcons scored twice in each half.

Urquhart tallied three assists, while Moffatt made one save for the shutout.

“They’re in a very good place to move forward,” Hamill said.