Newtown High School’s girls’ soccer team, seeded sixth in the South-West Conference tournament, and coming off an upset of third-seeded Weston in the quarterfinals, pushed No. 2 New Milford into double overtime in the semifinals. But the Green Wave prevailed 3-2, in a November 3 battle at neutral site Joel Barlow in Redding.

New Milford had beaten Newtown 3-0 in the regular season, and suffered just one loss in 13 conference games. The Nighthawks twice answered New Milford goals to tie the score – once in each half, and nearly won the game in the first ten-minute overtime when Alana Murray’s blast from just outside the 18-yard box clanked off the crossbar.

Monica Baxter netted the game-winner with 5:26 left in the second extra period. Had the game remained deadlocked through two overtimes it would have been decided in penalty kicks.

The outcome nearly was determined on a penalty kick during regulation. With the Green Wave leading 2-1, a New Milford player was fouled in the box, but the Wave couldn’t capitalize on a penalty kick as the shot went wide. Newtown struck to tie the score just 27 seconds after the PK. Nevan Gattey set up Makenna Cerney for the equalizer with 31:11 remaining in regulation. Newtown’s first goal was scored by Maddie Pirone, off a Sarah Houle corner kick.

Using its speed and physicality, the Green Wave generated close to 30 shots on goal, including one that hit the bottom of the cross bar. Newtown goalkeeper Meghan Doyle made 15 or so saves, and cleared away other opportunities with her aggressiveness and timing. One of her stops came off a corner kick when a pile-up of players knocked her – and the ball – over the goal line, but she was ruled to have had possession of the ball, so the goal was disallowed.

New Milford advances to take on top-seeded Immaculate of Danbury in the title game, on Thursday, November 5, at 7 pm (game location to be determined).

Volleyball Team Falls To Barlow

Newtown’s girls’ volleyball team lost its SWC semifinal match, dropping a 3-0 decision to Joel Barlow of Redding, at neutral site Pomperaug High, in Southbury, on November 3. The fourth-seeded Nighthawks were coming off a 3-2 win over No. 5 Pomperaug in the quarterfinals, and top-seeded Barlow had advanced with a 3-0 win over No. 8 Bethel.

The Nighthawks beat Barlow once in two regular-season meetings this fall. Barlow moves on to face No. 2 Weston in the conference championship match at Masuk High in Monroe, slated for Thursday, November 5, beginning at 7 pm.