Three matches into the season, Newtown High School’s girls’ soccer team has a close loss (1-0 to Pomperaug of Southbury in the season-opener, on October 1), and two ties — a 3-3 draw with Bethel two days later, and a scoreless deadlock with New Milford in the team’s first home game, at Blue & Gold Stadium, on October 6.

Although the Nighthawks, heading into Thursday’s home game with Brookfield (Blue & Gold Stadium at 4:15 pm) were still in search of win number one in the early going, Coach Marc Kenney said his squad was headed in the right direction following the stalemate with New Milford.

“I think we took giant steps today. I think we were starting to click today,” Kenney said.

The Nighthawks defended solidly, possessed the ball well, and generated scoring chances, but were missing that piece — scoring goals — that is sometimes so hard to find in the game of soccer.

Kenney liked the play of his entire team, sparked by Ally McCarthy, Katie Rowan, Riley Powers, Elena Sughrue, and Erin Phaneuf. The NHS coach is optimistic the younger and new players on the team will follow the lead of these team members as the Hawks look to continue making strides.

In the Bethel game, Newtown benefitted from a Bethel player putting the ball into their own net, and Powers — on a penalty kick — and Rowan both scored.

Newtown honored its final-year players on Senior Night when goalkeepers Julianna Stavola and Alyssa Bailey, and Emma Magazu were all recognized.

The Nighthawks will entertain rival Immaculate of Danbury at Blue & Gold for a 6 pm start on Tuesday, October 13. After clashes with New Fairfield and Masuk of Monroe are rematches with each of the first three opponents, which will serve as an apples-to-apples barometer for the team’s progress.