Update: The SWC semis will take place at NHS on Tuesday, November 2 when Masuk visits at 6 pm.

The top-seeded Newtown High School field hockey team blanked visiting and eighth-seeded Immaculate of Danbury 3-0 in the South-West Conference Tournament quarterfinals, at Blue & Gold Stadium on October 28.

Newtown will host No. 4 Masuk of Monroe, a 2-1 winner over No. 5 New Fairfield, in the semifinals on Tuesday, November 2 (game time to be determined). NHS edged Masuk 1-0 in overtime during the regular season.

Izzy Butler scored twice and Shannon Kelleher scored and Reagan Schoen had an assist for the Nighthawks in the win over Immaculate.

“Shannon Kelleher really set the pace in the first half by really controlling the midfield with her stickwork and setting up the forwards,” Newtown Coach Ellen Goyda said.

Kelleher got the scoring started in the second quarter.

“Once she scored that first goal we were able to relax and start playing a little bit more our style and we settled in,” Goyda added.

Butler added a goal in the second quarter and the Nighthawks took a 2-0 lead into halftime. They carried that lead into the fourth quarter.

“Immaculate is well-coached and I knew they’d try to overload the circle so we practiced that yesterday to prepare,” Goyda said.

Although the Nighthawks were prepared for Immaculate’s approach, the Mustangs countered with a change in strategy and made things challenging early on in the contest.

“Immaculate adjusted their game plan and came out in a different formation, collapsing even people below the 25, making it hard for us to penetrate the offensive circle. They mastered it the whole first quarter, holding us scoreless,” Goyda said.

Goyda said Summer Harrell, Katelyn Zaniewski, Erin Shah, and Maggie LaBanca played extremely well, supplying continued support to the forwards and giving them multiple feeds. Although Immaculate kept things close, Newtown’s defense made goals stand up. Nella Walsh and goaltender Cailyn Sullivan held down the defense and held the opposition scoreless for the seventh time this season.

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