With some minor bumps and bruises piling up, Newtown High School’s girls’ soccer team has not been at full strength early on this season, leaving the Nighthawks to battle not just tough opponents, but also the injury bug. They’ve been more than just competitive, and in fact, they carried a record of 3-1-1 into Thursday’s scheduled visit to always-challenging Masuk of Monroe.

Four team starters — including some of the team’s top forwards/midfielders and scorers, Emma Curtis, Karsen Pirone, Sydney Howard, and Faith O’Hara — were sidelined for a 1-0 loss to visiting Naugatuck at Blue & Gold Stadium on September 15, but Coach Marc Kenney was not interested in any excuse-making following the defeat.

“When we don’t put away our opportunities, we’re not going to win most games,” Kenney said. “I just think our kids need to find that killer instinct.”

Sweeper Hannah Daly, Colleen Phaneuf, and Laura Augenbraum all played well in the back, as did freshman Ally McCarthy.

Kaley Meisenheimer and freshmen Katie Rowan and McCarthy used their speed to make runs deep down the left sideline as the Nighthawks tried to net the equalizer throughout the second half. Midfielder Keeley Kortze was among those who also created some good chances.

The Nighthawks rebounded with a 1-0 win over visiting Bethel at Treadwell Park two days later. Howard returned from injury and made an immediate impact, scoring the game’s lone goal, assisted by Rowan.

“We bounced back well yesterday against Bethel. We are still missing three starters, two of whom are among the best players in the SWC, so to find a way to win a conference game is encouraging. I liked our work ethic. We won balls in the air well, and our aggressiveness was better. In the end, I think that this group is starting to figure it out. In looking at these scores conference-wide early on, it is going to be one of those years,” Kenney said the next day, referring to the parity in the South-West Conference. “We’ll keep working and improving every day.”