Through 17-plus games, Newtown High School’s field hockey team went unbeaten. Fourth-seeded New Milford needed overtime to get it done but gave the top-seeded Nighthawks their first taste of defeat. The Green Wave upset the host Nighthawks in the South-West Conference tournament semifinals with a 2-1 double overtime victory at Blue & Gold Stadium on a chilly November 5 evening.

Shannon Kelleher answered the Green Wave’s first goal when she cashed in on a penalty corner insert, sending the game into halftime deadlocked at a goal apiece.

It remained that way throughout the second half, the first ten-minute OT period, and halfway into the second extra stanza. With the teams playing seven aside, opening up space during overtime, the pace picked up in this physical battle.

Newtown goaltender Gigi Marino made two game-saving stops in succession in the first overtime, first with a breakaway denial, then with a stop on the rebound.

Katie Goyda intercepted a pass on Newtown’s half of the field and dribbled the ball deep into Immaculate territory before being denied by New Milford goalie Collete Lynch in the second OT.

The game-winner came with 4:58 remaining in the period when Erin O’Hara got behind the Nighthawk defense and scored to extend the Green Wave’s playoff run.

Newtown’s preseason goals included winning the conference and state tournaments, meaning the focus now is on capturing the Class L state title.

“We’re going to focus on winning one game at a time,” Nighthawk Coach Shannon Paproski said.