Hall Girls soccer triumphs 2-1 against Farmington at breast cancer awareness pink out night Wednesday evening in West Hartford.

Sports reporting is sponsored by Keating Agency Insurance

By Paul Palmer

Kyra Baun had a role in both goals, including Ella Peterson’s game winner with 10:28 to play as the Hall Titans girls soccer team topped Farmington in a back-and-forth contest that lived up to its billing.

“Last year they took care of us,” said Hall coach Scott Ferguson. “We try to have markers in the season and this was one of them,” he said.

The Titans came it at 6-1-2 ranked No. 10 and having allowed one total goal over their last five games.

The River Hawks entered ranked 11th, boasting an 8-1 record with 23 goals scored in the nine games.

The energy level was high from the opening kick with a post-season vibe that both sides delivered on. The opening 40 minutes saw the River Hawks with the better of play in the early minutes.

Hall goalie Annabelle Butterfield had to make the game’s first big save just 1:01 into play when she denied Farmington’s Kayleigh Phillips’ drive from the left side. Hall’s response started with Baun, a senior captain, who turned in another strong performance. She dropped a pair of corner kicks into dangerous spots, but Farmington was able to clear both.

For the visitors it was Brooke Hacker and Llana Heredia combining with Teighan Dutko from midfield to force the issue on offense. But The Hall backline – anchored by senior Katherine Mormina – played tough, physical defense and did a great job passing off players to each other.

Hacker had a solid chance on goal with just under eight minutes to go in the opening half, but Butterfield was there for the save.

Farmington had relied on a physical but clean game, using close marking, shoulder charges, and body positioning to try and hold back the Hall offense. “Both teams were really physical and worked hard,” Hall’s Ferguson said.

With 0:27 to play in the first half, defender Sofia Perdomo shoved a Hall player who was chasing a ball heading over the touchline to the left of the River Hawks goal. The referees awarded a penalty kick for Hall and Baun casually stepped forward and powered it past goalie Alexandria Underhill for the 1-0 lead.

It did not take long for Farmington to get the tying goal in the second half.

Hacker played a brilliant dummy ball just across midfield, allowing the ball to beat the Hall defense and send Dutko in on Butterfield. A pair of touches and the senior struck a 25-yard shot to the far post that beat Butterfield.

Seven minutes later Phillips had a golden chance to put Farmington ahead when she raced to a through ball that went through the center of the Hall defense, but Elsie Muska sprinted back and used a shoulder challenge to separate Phillips from the ball, allowing a teammate to clear.

“We made a couple of uncharacteristic mistakes because we were nervous,” said Ferguson. The game turned into a contest of offensive probes from each offense looking for one opportunity that would break the deadlock.

“Our communication across the back was great,” said Mormina, speaking of her team’s defensive effort. “Our team chemistry is really good and we lift each other up.”

Hall seized an opportunity with 10:28 to play in regulation. With a defender draped over her back, Baun controlled a throw in, spun right along the sideline, beat a second defender then fired off a right footed cross in stride that came into the box from the right side. A Farmington defender took it off her thigh, and then a teammate tried to head it out.

The ball fell to Muska who side -ooted it towards the goal. The ball hit a defender and fell to the feet of Peterson and her left foot sent the ball past Underhill’s dive to her left to give Hall the lead.

“I was hoping we’d get on the end of it,” Baun said about the cross. “I knew someone would be there for us.”

Farmington pressed the action over the final minutes, but the Hall defense held strong and the offense did a good job of transitioning the ball into offense to give their teammates a break.

The River Hawks had one final chance to tie when Hacker ran onto a long cross and got the outside of her right foot on the ball as Butterfield charged off her line and got a hand to it. Hacker followed with another flick of the right foot but the ball went just past the post with 5:30 to play.

“We don’t give up,” said Baun of her squad. “We always stay positive.”

The conference win is also big for the Titans as they look to the post-season.

“We talked that in the CCC games we have to have the right mentality. We want to get into the CCC Tournament, states and win states,” Ferguson said.

Game notes

• The game was played at Conard’s McKee Stadium as construction continues at the Hall facilities.
• Conard’s girls tied Lewis Mills 0-0 in a match-up right before the Farmington-Hall contest.
• The two teams meet in the season finale on Oct. 26.
• Conard’s record is now 6-1-3 in a turnaround season for coach PJ Louis and his team.
• Hall now has an eight-game unbeaten streak (6-0-2).
• Their lone loss came in the second game of the season 1-0 to No. 2 and undefeated Glastonbury.
• After 10 games, Hall’s defense has allowed one goal just once (two to Suffield), and one goal in five games while posting four clean sheets.

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