Newtown High School’s girls’ soccer team defeated nonconference team Amity of Woodbridge, 2-0, at Blue & Gold Stadium, on September 8. Karsen Pirone scored a goal and assisted Keeley Kortze on the other. Both net-finders in the season-opener came on free kicks. Julianna Stavola had six saves in goal.

The Nighthawks, sparked by an Emma Curtis tally, tied SWC foe Pomperaug of Southbury 1-1, under the lights at Blue & Gold on September 11. Stavola made a diving save with 26 minutes left, helping to preserve the deadlock.

“Typical SWC game. Pomperaug works super hard. They won every ball in the air; they won every 50-50 ball,” said Newtown Coach Marc Kenney, adding that his team’s inability to capitalize on early-game chances came back to haunt it.

This was not a good tie in the eyes of the Nighthawk coach.

“When you don’t score on your chances in the first 15-20 minutes, this is what happens,” Kenney said.

“I think we need to be a little more mature in our style of play and in our effort,” the coach said.

On the bright side, the team showed what it can do in the opener a few days earlier.

“Great start to the year. We played hard. We won 50-50 balls. There was a level of intensity,” Kenney said.

The Hawks looked to get back to that pace in a game at Stratford on September 12. Newtown came out on top 2-0. Kaley Meisenheimer and Coleen Phaneuf scored and Stavola made a save on a penalty kick. They will host Naugatuck Saturday, September 15, at Blue & Gold, beginning at 7. Bethel comes to Treadwell Park for an afternoon contest Monday, September 17, at 4 pm.

Back-to-back likely challenging road tilts await. The Hawks visit Masuk of Monroe Thursday, September 20 at 7, and travel to Redding to take on the Joel Barlow Falcons Tuesday, September 25, beginning at 4 pm.