MONROE — If the first few games are an indication of what kind of season this will be then Newtown High School’s girls’ soccer team is certainly one to take seriously in the South-West Conference. The future also looks bright given the immediate impact of freshmen in the lineup.

The Nighthawks bounced back from a season-opening 1-0 loss to visiting Notre Dame Prep on September 4 with a 2-1 win at Enfield in an out-of-conference battle of Class LL schools on September 6 and a 1-0 road victory over SWC rival Masuk on September 9.

Each of the SWC games was a tough one, with Notre Dame the defending runners-up in the conference and the team that captured the crown each of the previous two seasons and Masuk a senior-heavy squad with title aspirations. Enfield qualified for state tourney last fall and provided a good road challenge.

In the game at Enfield, Newtown showed no signs of fatigue following a long bus ride — the team’s first after all of preseason and the opening game were played at home. Senior captain Leah Morris scored 39 seconds into the game on a shot placed perfectly near the post in the top corner of the net, off an assist from sophomore Summer Chajlub. Junior Blake Heim-Sherwood added another goal late in the first half. Freshman Olivia Fernandes slipped the ball through the back line and Heim-Sherwood went one-on-one with the goalkeeper and found the back of the net. The Nighthawks let up a goal ten minutes into the second half but held onto the lead as freshman goalkeeper Elise Ansman earned her first victory.

The Masuk game was a stalemate until midway through the second half when the Nighthawks executed a perfectly set up play. Senior defender Maddy Gioiele made a long run up the field and sent the ball forward to senior Kyla Kopp who tracked it down, ran into the left corner and centered where freshman Makenzie Fregoe deposited her first varsity net-finder with 19:22 left in regulation.

“It feels really good,” said Gioiele, adding that the Nighthawks have practiced that play in preseason. “I feel like we’re doing well working together as a team to find each other with passes.”

“I’m happy,” Fregoe said of netting her first varsity goal. “I tried to get in [to the 18 yard box in position to score] like we practice.”

Gioiele and junior Sara Ruddy were solid defensively with timely clears and stops, and Ansman already has her first varsity shutout in the books.

“It’s a positive,” NHS Coach Adam Bourret said of freshmen stepping in and factoring into the success from the get-go. “It means they’re playing up to their expectation and having a positive impact.”

“It’s a good start. We know we’re playing the best SWC teams right away,” said Bourret, whose lineup will host Brookfield, last year’s champion and — like Notre Dame — a three-time SWC finalist in years 2022-24 at Treadwell Park on Thursday at 4 pm.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.