Hall defeated Farmington 1-0 in West Hartford Wednesday in the first round of the CIAC Class L tournament.

Sports reporting is sponsored by Keating Agency Insurance

By Gigi Altieri. Photos by Steve Purcell

Hall, seeded No. 7 in the CIAC Class L field hockey tournament, faced off against Farmington (No. 10) in their first States game Wednesday evening, and won the game 1-0 in the second quarter of overtime.

The Titans will continue on into the tournament quarterfinals, traveling to face No. 2 Staples in Westport on Friday.

Despite many strong goal attempts by both teams, the score remained 0-0 until Hall senior Katie Cykley (#27) scored a goal with no assist on Farmington’s goalie, with just two minutes left in the second overtime period.

In an interview, Hall’s head coach Ellie Tate said “Farmington was a great opponent. You really saw our grit and heart throughout the entire game.”

Hall Field Hockey cheers together. Hall vs. Farmington. CIAC Class L first round field hockey tournament. Nov. 11, 2026. Photo credit: Steve Purcell

The majority of the game was spent fighting hard in the middle of the field, with possession held evenly between the two teams. Both teams had their fair share of goal attempts and corner plays as well, although Hall ultimately had the most.

During the third quarter, Hall’s football team finished their practice and game to cheer on the team, marking a shift in tone for the game. It was beginning to get turbulent, so the spirit definitely helped raise morale.

Hall and Farmington fight during corner play. Hall vs. Farmington. CIAC Class L first round field hockey tournament. Nov. 11, 2026. Photo credit: Steve Purcell

The game ended 0-0, as no team could get past the opposite goalie. By this time, Cykley was struggling with an injured hamstring, and needed to be subbed out a few times to recover.

No one managed to score during the first period of overtime, however, so they moved into the second one. Both teams were getting flustered and desperate for the win.

Cyckley’s injury didn’t stop her, though, from receiving the ball and running it down a third of the field and shooting it into the goal. Hall’s players ran onto the field, joining her in a large embrace of happy tears and cheering.

Coach Tate said afterwards, “I felt like we were knocking on the door the entire game, we just had to finish, and it came to two minutes left in overtime, but I’ll take it.”

Coach Tate ended the interview by saying that what she believes will get them through the tough competition is their “heart and their composure throughout the game.” Good luck girls!

Hall goalie Lily Mitchell makes a save. Hall vs. Farmington. CIAC Class L first round field hockey tournament. Nov. 11, 2026. Photo credit: Steve Purcell

For more photos, visit Steve Purcell’s Instagram @purcellphotography.23.

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