GameTime CT

Connecticut's premier high school sports website

  • GIRLS SPORTS
    • Basketball
    • Cross Country
    • Field Hockey
    • Golf
    • Gymnastics
    • Hockey
    • Indoor Track
    • Lacrosse
    • Soccer
    • Softball
    • Swimming
    • Tennis
    • Volleyball
    • Track & Field
  • BOYS SPORTS
    • Baseball
    • Basketball
    • Cross Country
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Hockey
    • Indoor Track
    • Lacrosse
    • Soccer
    • Swimming
    • Tennis
    • Track & Field
    • Volleyball
    • Wrestling
  • Schools
  • Newspapers
    • CT Post
    • The Danbury News-Times
    • Greenwich Time
    • The Middletown Press
    • New Haven Register
    • The Norwalk Hour
    • The Register Citizen
    • The Stamford Advocate
  • Polls
    • Baseball Top 10
    • Boys Basketball Top 10
    • Girls Basketball Top 10
    • Football Top 10
    • Hockey Top 10
    • Boys Lacrosse Top 10
    • Softball Top 10
    • Other Polls
  • Scores & Stats
Field Hockey

Lauralton Hall field hockey ready for Class M final Saturday

Joe Morelli | November 15, 2013

By Dan Nowak
dnowak@nhregister.com
@NHRDanNowak on Twitter

Three weeks ago, Lauralton Hall first-year coach Kati Cavanagh talked about how the players’ love for one another and the mindset of just plain having fun has combined to be the strength of the Crusaders this season.

The camaraderie and pure joy of playing the game worked well in the regular season. The Crusaders went 15-0-1, and are now 40-0-6-1 over the past three regular seasons.

The combination has also worked well this postseason. The Crusaders, moving from Class S to Class M, have advanced to the championship game and will play two-time defending champion Wilton today at Wethersfield High at 2 p.m.

If the Crusaders were enjoying themselves in the regular season, they’re certainly having fun in the playoffs. They ended up co-champions with Pomperaug in the South-West Conference tournament after a scoreless tie. In another nail-biter, Lauralton Hall defeated Avon 1-0 in overtime in the Class M semifinals.

“‘Fun’ is an understatement; more like having the time of our lives,” Cavanagh said. “We’ve been fortunate enough to have won two semifinal games in overtime. It is an exhilarating feeling that words can’t express. The only way you’d understand is experiencing it yourself.”

Defense has been the team’s strength in the state tournament, allowing just two goals in three games.
Maureen Connolly, Beth Lamonte, Micaela Murphy, Jackie Brewster, Tori Stapelton and Kara Duggan are among the top players for the Crusadars. Connolly and Brewster are among the top scorers.

“We worked exceedingly hard to get to this position and it’s an awesome feeling,” Connolly said. “Our success comes from our ability to work well with each other. Regardless of the large amount of time we spend together, we’re all friends off the field and the bond we have with one another translates when we play.

“Our strength as a team is in our ability to collaborate and adapt. We understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses and are able to work through different formations in order to see what will work best for the team. Because we are like a family, there is constant support and competitive spirit on the field that pushes us not only to play our best, but to win games. We have been extremely successful in doing this thus far and we hope to continue it in the state championship.”

Cavanagh isn’t surprised by her team’s success.

“We set lofty but realistic goals at the beginning of the season,” Cavanagh said. “I am very well aware of Wilton’s tradition and respect what a great team they are. But we are focusing on ourselves, not the opposition.

“As far as the transition from Class S to M, I haven’t really given it much thought, nor have my players.”

About Joe Morelli

Joe Morelli is the schools sports editor for New Haven Register and GameTimeCT. Email him at jmorelli@nhregister.com

Newsletter Signup

Don't strike out on CT high school sports news. Sign up for The Whistle newsletter from GametimeCT

You agree to our Terms of Use. Your information will be used as described in our Privacy Policy.

Spring Sports Quick Links

Spring Sports Quick Links

BASEBALL 2021: PRESEASON TOP 10 | PLAYERS TO WATCH | GAMES TO SEE
SOFTBALL 2021: PRESEASON TOP 10 | PLAYERS TO WATCH | GAMES TO SEE
BOYS LACROSSE 2021: PRESEASON TOP 10 | PLAYERS TO WATCH | GAMES TO WATCH
Spring Sports Schedules

Winter 2021 Preview Links

Winter Sports 2021 Links

2021 ALL-STATE TEAMS

CHSCA: GIRLS BASKETBALL | GYMNASTICS | BOYS HOCKEY | CHSGHA: GIRLS HOCKEY

ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS

BERKSHIRE | CCC | CRAL | CTC | ECC | FCIAC | NCCC | NVL | SCC | SHORELINE | SWC

TeamPlayer Scores and Stats search

Scores and Stats

Video

Podcasts

Fall Sports Quick Links

Fall Sports Quick Links

2021 FOOTBALL COLLEGE RECRUITING LIST
2020 GAMETIMECT ALL-STATE TEAMS
BOYS SOCCER
GIRLS SOCCER
FIELD HOCKEY
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
2020 LEAGUE PLAYOFFS:
Central Connecticut
Fairfield County
Shoreline Conference
Southern Connecticut
South-West Conference

Twitter

Tweets

Polls

Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment.
Follow Us
© Copyright 2017 Hearst Media Services Connecticut, LLC