The girls soccer teams from crosstown West Hartford rivals Conard and Hall met Saturday morning.

Sports reporting is sponsored by Keating Agency Insurance

By Paul Palmer

In a battle of unbeaten teams, Hall used goals from Alex Ackerman and Aliza Schleif to move to 6-0-1 with the 2-0 win over Conard (5-1-1).

Both teams came into the game ranked in Class LL with Hall fifth and Conard 12th, and the game lived up to its promise. The Red Wolves were without standout senior Alice Araya for most of the first half as she battled a knee injury suffered earlier in the week.

From the opening whistle Hall was on the attack and controlled possession and field position. Conard’s defense, with Aubrey Corn and Brooklyn Knowles as well as goalie Evelyn Black, stood tall and broke up several promising Titan attacks early on.

Hall’s hard work and patience paid off just past the halfway mark of the first. Chloe Lynch won the ball along the sidelines and found Ackerman, who despite being tightly marked, managed to move into a shooting spot and let loose with a perfectly placed shot to the far side for the 1-0 lead.

“Without the work done by Chloe in the corner to win it and find Alex, we never would have had that chance,” said Hall head coach Scott Ferguson. “That goal gave us a lift.”

Hall was looking for more but Conard’s defense blocked numerous shots, and the others that got through were handled by Black, including one on Maya Reilly. One of Black’s best saves came with just under 6 to play in the half when Hall launched a free kick from the side right to the middle of the goal. The sophomore goalie went up high to bring it in and end the threat.

Conard did manage to put together some offense in the final 10 minutes of the first, but only one ball made it through to the goal and that was easily handled by Titan goalie Mabel Cook.

“We were a little disorganized in midfield and they were able to create more,” said Conard coach PJ Louis.

Conard’s offense had more jump in the second half, matching Hall’s efforts and possession time, but early on they had nothing to show for it. Junior defender and captain Sienna Calabro continued to impress with her calm presence and smart play as she anchored the back line.

“I asked her to work on some things over the summer,” Ferguson said of Calabro. “She did that and more. She does not look like a junior back there.”

Hall’s offense created some good attacks from the back, leaning on the through ball to break down the Conard defense. Leah Berey was often involved in the runs into the attacking zone including one where she raced into the Conard box, only to have Maddie Dupont of the Red Wolves slide over to help and put the ball into touch.

Ackerman was also a threat all day taking corner kicks for Hall, placing them in dangerous areas. One of them led to a scramble front and Hall got off a shot ticketed for the left side of the goal, but Asha Comiso played it perfectly, sliding off the post and deflecting it away with her upper body to save a goal.

At the other end, Cook finally was seeing more action and had to be quick to a low corner driven at the near post. Later it was midfielder Courtney McPhee who had a chance but her left-footed shot from 30 yards out went wide of the Hall goal, with just over 20 minutes played.

“I felt we were able to tilt the field in our advantage for part of the half,” Louis said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t stay organized and Hall outplayed us unfortunately.”

That lack of organization helped the Titans score their second goal as another great through ball was finally put away. Schleif was sent through on a near perfect through ball played on the ground, and as she gathered it and came in alone on Black, the Conard goalie came out to challenge and Schleif was able to deposit it into the far side of the goal for the 2-0 lead with 17:11 to play.

“That was a total team goal,” Ferguson said after the game. “Six different players touched the ball; it was all done on the ground and every touch had a purpose.”

Berey had one more chance to set up a goal when she again used her speed and skills to move into the attacking zone and send a through ball for Schleif. She managed to go around one defender, but Conard’s Knowles shifted across and deflected a potential cross out of bounds.

After the game, Ferguson said some adjustments by his players and the continued presence of Calabro on the backline helped to secure the win. “In the first half we gave the ball away after going forward. We had to grow into the game and we did.” Calabro was a starter for Hall last season but is now being asked to organize and lead the team’s defense as well. “She is our most improved player. She is stronger and more confident and her teammates listen to her.”

Hall puts its unbeaten streak on the line next week with a matchup with RHAM on Monday and Bristol Eastern on Thursday before a huge showdown with Glastonbury on Monday the 30th.

On the season, Cook and the Hall defense have had five shutouts and only given up a total of five goals – 3 in one game – while the Titans have scored 26 times so far.

Conard looks to get back on the winning track against Bristol Eastern on Monday before facing Maloney on Thursday and then a big test comes on the 30th against one-loss Simsbury. In their seven gamed played, the Red Wolves have scored 33 goals and given up just seven, with three shutouts. Saturday was the first time Conard has been held scoreless this season.

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