CC Cersosimo joins the 100-goal club during Tuesday’s game in West Hartford.

Sports reporting is sponsored by Keating Agency Insurance

By Paul Palmer

It took just 29 seconds for Conard to score its first goal of the game. It took Caroline Cersosimo (CC) 5:09 to score twice and reach 100 career goals. It took the Red Wolves just under 43 minutes to score 20 goals in a win over Northwest Catholic in a girls lacrosse game.

“I have been playing with some of these girls my whole life,” said Cersosimo of her teammates. “I am so grateful to have had them with me.”

Cersosimo – just a sophomore – became the third player on the current Conard team to be a part of the century goal club. Senior Nicole Gorman scored hers last year. She has committed to Division I Lindenwood University for the fall. Last week senior Olivia Hole became the programs all-time leading scorer when she scored her 231st point, including more than 100 goals.

Cersosimo scored 66 goals as a freshman and ended Tuesday’s game with 106 career goals. “When I scored 100 it was such a great moment for me,” said Gorman. “We are so proud of CC. It’s a great moment for her and it is very fun to play alongside her.”

From the bench it was a unique view for CC’s mother Meg, who is also her coach. “As a coach it is a testament to what these girls are doing all year long. These girls are making it happen,” said the coach. When it comes to being Mom, the pride is easy to see. “I love all my kids equally but watching her play is some of the best moments of my life. She is team first and that is whats most important.”

On Tuesday it was Hole opening the scoring, but the Lions punched back three minutes later with their own goal to tie it up. Cersosimo scored career goal 99 just 35 seconds later when Courtney McPhee found her cutting and got the ball to Cersosimo. She then worked around defenders and got off the shot.

“She works so hard and never gives up,” said McPhee of her lacrosse and basketball teammate Cersosimo.

Gorman would make it a two-goal lead off a pass from Hole, before Annie Szyluk scored short side for Northwest. Szyluk, who scored her own 100th goal earlier this season, would score five of her team’s six goals on the day.

At 6:51 of the first, Cersosimo was fouled as she moved in on goal and earned an 8-meter try. “I knew it would be a chance for 100, but I had to place the ball in the right spot first, then celebrate,” she said. That is just what Cersosimo did, as she came in on goalie Tiegan Poduje and scored her 100th. “I had a dream last night that I didn’t get it here at home. But with this team, I knew even if that happened I would eventually get it.”

Following the goal her teammates held up posters and signs along the touchline congratulating Cersosimo.

After that it was all Conard as the Red Wolves scored the game’s next 12 goals leading into halftime. Ashley Gorman followed Cersosimo’s second :43 later, then it was No. 101 for Cersosimo, followed by two more from Nicole Gorman. With 2:10 to go in the first, Hole picked up another assist as she found Cersosimo who buried the overhand shot to make it 9-2. Those two players swapped roles for the next goal that Hole scored with :01 to go in the opening period.

Nicole Gorman, who has one of the hardest shots around, opened the second quarter by riding off the check of a defender and firing a bullet into the net. “My sister and I practice every day,” she said. “My Dad has been working with us too.” That work paid off for Ashley Gorman as she netted the next Red Wolves goal before Hole shook loose from a defender at the side of the next 1:20 later to make it a 13-2 game.

McPhee was next to score for Conard as the player more known for her passing and possession skills converted on an 8-meter opportunity. Freja Morris and Caitlin Walsh would finish out the opening half scoring – Morris with an 8-meter, and Walsh with a nice effort splitting defenders and getting off the shot that made it 16-2.

At the break, Hole had three goals and four assists, Nicole Gorman had four goals, Cersosimo four goals and an assist, and Ashley Gorman had two goals for Conard. The collection of goal scorers reinforces what Coach Cersosimo said is one of the core values of her team. We are about playing ‘we before’ and we respect the game. They played with a ton of heart and hustle today,” she added.

In the third it was Nicole Gorman cutting through the middle of the goal where Cersosimo found her with the pass for a goal. At 8:14 it was Hole drawing in the defenders before finding Cersosimo cutting to the goal. She made no mistake and just under 4:00 Conard was up 18-2.

Northwest’s Szyluk ran off the next three scores of the game using a combination of skill, speed, and determination. The first came when she carried the ball from left to right in front of Kiara Morales, who had relieved Maya Nannyakkara before halftime, and scored. The next came when she won the face-off, took control of the ball, raced into the attacking zone, and scored. Her next goal of the game came in the fourth when she scored on her 8-meter chance.

Conard was substituting throughout the second half but still kept up the offensive pressure. With 7:47 to go in the game, Grace Minahan picked up an assist when she fed Jacqueline Capone for the goal. Fittingly it would be Cersosimo who would be scoring the final goal for Conard when, with 5:06 to go, she grabbed a ground ball behind the Northwest net, moved towards the font of the cage, and converted.

Despite the lopsided score, Northwest battled throughout but was just overmatched. In addition to the effort all game long from Szyluk, defender Isa Jubrey was a constant force for the Lions, creating turnovers and leading the transition from defense to offense.

The 20-6 win moves Conard to 8-1 on the season, while the loss dropped Northwest Catholic below .500 at 2-3.

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