The final game of Laetitia Cartellieri’s field hockey career for Greenwich Academy saw her register two clutch goals in a season-ending win against Taft School – a victory that gave GA the NEPSAC Class A Tournament championship.

Cartellieri’s performance in the title game and her efforts throughout Greenwich Academy’s entire championship season were certainly remembered and definitely noticed.

A senior midfielder, Cartellieri earned the honor of being chosen as the NEPSAC 2022 Class A Field Hockey Player of the Year.

“I am incredibly honored and humbled to receive NEPSAC Player of the Year after what was a truly unforgettable season in and of itself,” said Cartellieri, who helped power the Gators’ offense during their 2022 campaign. “I could not have asked for a better ending to my high school field hockey experience with GA.”

In third-seeded Greenwich Academy’s game against top-seeded Taft School in the NEPSAC Class A Tournament final last month, Cartellieri scored two goals to help lead GA to a 4-3 victory. In the NEPSAC Class A Tournament semifinals, Cartellieri, a center midfielder, scored a goal in the Gators’ 4-1 triumph against Phillips Academy Andover.

“This past season was simply so much fun and the GAVFH team and all our memories, on and off the field, will always hold a special place in my heart. I am so proud of them for putting their everything on the field this entire season and for literally playing through blood sweat and tears,” Cartellieri said.

Greenwich Academy advanced to the semifinal-round of the NEPSAC Class A tourney and Cartellieri scored the game-tying goal for the team, enabling it to force overtime against rival Sacred Heart Greenwich. GA went on to edge Sacred Heart, 2-1, to earn a berth in the NEPSAC Class A semifinals.

The Gators also captured the FAA Tournament title with a 1-0 win over Sacred Heart in the championship game. Coached by Jamie Brower, GA finished its 2022 season with a record of 19-3.

“Winning both the FAA Tournament title and the NEPSAC Class A title were a testament to their hard work, grit perseverance and our strong friendship,” said Cartellieri, who along with seniors Ellie Johnson and Sienna Tejpaul served as a captain of GA’s 2022 field hockey squad. “I could not have asked for a better group of teammates and ultimately, I think our unbreakable bond and desire to win for each other is what made the difference.”

“Without them this award would not have been made possible and I am so proud to be recognized with such a prestigious honor,” Cartellieri noted.

Cartellieri credits Greenwich Academy coaches Jamie Brower and Sally Duval and her club team coaches Alex Gheorghe and Abdel Elkettani of AGH Field Hockey Club for helping her raise her play to a higher level each of her four high school seasons.

“My field hockey has definitely improved these past years and while it did not always come easily, taking both a lot of time and hard work, I have loved playing this sport every step of the way,” she said. “I want to thank my GA coaches – coach Brower and coach Sally, my club coaches coaches Alex and Abdel and Austrian national coaches for helping me reach this level.”

“Coach Brower and Coach Sally are some of the most supportive coaches I have ever met and I am grateful to have had coaches that I knew would always have my back and do nothing less than encourage me. They have definitely made me into a more confident player these past years. I want to thank them for always believing in my teammates and me and never failing to motivate us or put a smile on our faces. Their sheer faith and confidence in us definitely had a huge impact on our performance and was key to our success this season.”

The Harvard University-bound Cartellieri also spent a lot of time competing for Greenwich-based AGH Field Hockey Club.

“Playing for Alex and AGH these past six years has taught me so much and I am grateful for him for always pushing me to work harder,” she said. “His motto, “attitude, mentality and effort,” motivated me to always try my hardest and has driven me to become a better player. Lastly, my field hockey definitely improved this past summer, as I had the great opportunity to play for Austria at the 8 Nations Cup. Being exposed to such talented teams and players taught me so much from skills, to strategies, to seeing plays that I had not seen before.”

Cartellieri was selected as a member of the All-NEPSAC Field Hockey Team. Greenwich Academy is also represented by seniors Ellie Johnson and Sienna Tejpaul on the 2022 All-NEPSAC Field Hockey Team. Johnson excelled as a defender, while Tejpaul consistently sparked the offense from her forward position.

Laetitia’s sister Lavinia, a sophomore forward, earned All-NEPSAC Honorable Mention Team recognition, as did GA teammates Caroline Busler, a junior forward and Gigi Caldero, a junior midfielder.

In the fall of 2023, Laetitia Cartellieri will playing field hockey at Harvard University.

“I am beyond excited for the next chapter of my career at Harvard,” she said. “I cannot wait to play for and just be surrounded by such an amazing team and coaches. I am so grateful for this opportunity. All in all, it has been a fairy tale ending to the season with my best friends. Most importantly, this season has shown me that in the long run, hard work really does pay off. I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”