Greenwich Academy Varsity A lacrosse team upends Holy Child, behind balanced scoring effort; GA also victorious vs. Taft

By David Fierro on May 3, 2023 • ( Leave a comment )

Photo by David Fierro: Greenwich Academy’s Lila Cabot, middle and Caroline Watts, pursue a School of the Holy Child player during a lacrosse game held at Greenwich Academy on May 2, 2023. The Gators were victorious.

Receiving goals from 10 different players, scoring six times in the first 10 minutes, 58 seconds of action and getting strong all-around defensive play was the formula for success for Greenwich Academy against lacrosse foe School of the Holy Child.

All of those aspects added up to a convincing win for Greenwich Academy, which is primed to finish its 2023 season in winning fashion.

Junior midfielder Amelia Lewis recorded a hat trick in Greenwich Academy’s resounding 13-2 victory over visiting Holy Child in a matchup held on Tuesday. Senior attack Chloe Cook registered two goals and one assist for the Gators, who brought a comfortable 8-1 lead into halftime against the Gryphons.

Photo by David Fierro: Greenwich Academy freshman Lily Lyons received her first start in goal for the team vs. Holy Child.

“We had 10 different goal scorers today, a lot of freshmen and sophomores were able to step in and contribute,” GA co-head coach Halley Quillinan Griggs said. “We were happy with the way they played.”

One of the numerous underclassmen who rose to the occasion was freshman goalie Lily Lyons. She received the start in goal for standout goalie senior tri-captain Rebecca Arpano, who was out sick on Tuesday. It was Lyons debut as the Gators’ starting goalie.

“It was really amazing,” Lyons said. “At first, I was obviously, nervous, but through the team rallying around me, it was easy to play well and make a lot of stops.”

Greenwich Academy midfielder Claire Maruszewski looks to move the ball during a matchup against Holy Child.

Lyons made five saves for GA, which was stellar in all aspects of the game against Rye, New York-based Holy Child.

“It was so nice to have teammates supporting me the entire time,” Lyons said.

She credited Arpano, who will bring her lacrosse skills to Harvard University, for helping her adjust to playing at the varsity level.

“With Rebecca, I have been able to get my game so much better,” Lyons noted. “She’s been showing me exactly to do, so I can imitate that. It’s going to be crazy not to have her next year, but I think it’s really put me in a good position for next year.”

Greenwich Academy senior tri-captain Ellie Johnson helped propel the team’s strong defensive effort vs. Holy Child.

Junior attack Dylan Casazza posted one goal and one assist, while sophomore midfielder Claire Maruszewski, senior midfielder/tri-captain Ellie Burdick, senior defender Sienna Tejpaul, sophomore midfielder Caroline Watts, freshman midfielder Maggie Whidden, Winnie Welch (senior attack) and Brooke Bertrand (junior defender/midfielder) each scored one goal apiece to spark the winning effort.

“It was such a great game, it was nice to see everyone contribute and work their hardest,” said GA senior defender/tri-captain Ellie Johnson, who will play lacrosse at Stanford next season. We had a bunch of assisted goals and great team defense.”

The Gators’ first goal against Holy Child came 41 seconds into the opening half. Their second tally came at the 20:26 mark. With 14:02 left in the first half, GA’s lead widened to 6-1.

Photo by David Fierro: Ruby Montanez of Greenwich Academy looks to pass the ball during a lacrosse game vs. Holy Child.

Watts’ goal with 5:26 to play in the first half made it 7-1, then 12 seconds later, Maruszewski tallied after Watts won the ensuing draw, giving GA an 8-1 advantage heading into halftime.

Meanwhile, when the Gryphons possessed the ball, the Gators made them earn their shots, as they played tough defense throughout. Lyons made her presence felt in goal for the victors.

“We were excited with Lily’s play today,” Quillinan Griggs said. “The way she came out in her first career start was impressive.”

Photo by David Fierro: Greenwich Academy lines up to greet School of the Holy Child after their matchup against each other.

Said Ellie Johnson: “We are so proud of our freshman goalkeeper, Lily. She was a wall back there and super loud. She was the glue to the defense.”

Making an aggressive cut to the goal, Bertand tallied at the 20:48 mark of the second half, putting GA on top, 9-1. Later in the half, Welch scored off a catch-and-shoot, as did Cook, capping the home team’s scoring.

Greenwich Academy’s Winnie Welch (No. 12) gets ready to catch a pass thrown by Chloe Cook.

Lyons appreciates her freshman season on the Greenwich Academy squad.

“The team has been so welcoming, from seniors to sophomores, everyone has been so nice,” she said. “It’s such an amazing experience.”

Photo by David Fierro: Members of Greenwich Academy’s lacrosse team huddle up during a game vs. Holy Child.

Following their triumph against Holy Child, GA was right back in action today, as it traveled to NEPSAC opponent Taft School. In a hard-fought game, the Gators prevailed, 12-10.

The victory improved GA’s record to 7-2.

Greenwich Academy’s Caroline Watts picks up a ground ball during lacrosse action versus Holy Child at Greenwich Academy. The Gators rolled to a 13-2 victory, receiving goals from numerous players.

Greenwich Academy visits Loomis Chaffee School on Saturday for a 3 p.m. matchup. They will play neighborhood foe Greenwich High School on May 10, then will close out their season with a Senior Day home game versus Hotchkiss School on May 12.

“It’s going to be so sad, we have seven seniors and we’re all devastated about leaving the program,” Ellie Johnson said of the season’s conclusion. “Our coaching staff is so amazing. They’ve been so supportive of us and helped us grow as players and people.”