Different season, same scenario.

Like the 2022 season, the members of Greenwich Academy’s varsity field hockey team spent some extra time at Sacred Heart Greenwich following Friday’s FAA Tournament final, as it was time to pose for championship photos.

Second-seeded Greenwich Academy repeated as FAA Tournament champions, defeating top-seeded host Sacred Heart Greenwich in the title game, 2-0, in a back-and-forth, intense matchup.

Last year, it was Ellie Johnson’s overtime goal that lifted the Gators to a 3-2 overtime victory against the Tigers in the championship game of the FAA Tournament. Friday, it was junior forward Lavinia Cartellieri’s two goals that propelled GA to victory.

“I’m so happy, it’s the second year in a row and it’s just amazing,” Cartellieri said of GA claiming the FAA Tournament title.

The game marked another exciting chapter in the storied field hockey rivalry Greenwich Academy and Sacred Heart share. In 2022, the teams faced each other four times, with the Tigers and Gators each winning two games. Sacred Heart won the FAA regular season title one season ago, then lost to GA in the league tournament final. This fall, the Tigers won the regular season matchup at GA on Oct. 16, 3-2, a victory that enabled them to win the FAA regular season title.

In 2021, Sacred Heart was victorious against Greenwich Academy in the league tournament final and GA edged SHG for the tourney title with a road victory in 2019.

“I’m super proud of every single kid on the team,” Greenwich Academy coach Jamie Brower said. “Everybody played steady, we had a lot of strong, steady play today and it really came together. I’m really happy for them.”

Some of Sacred Heart’s best scoring opportunities came early on in this much-anticipated matchup. With 14:20 remaining in the first quarter – 40 seconds into the game – the Tigers drew a penalty corner. Senior Skylar Stewart sent the insert pass near the top of the circle and Sacred Heart drove a hard shot toward Gators junior goalie Persia Shipman.

For a moment, the Tigers thought they scored on the play, but they were awarded a penalty stroke. Shipman proceeded to make a key stick save off a shot to her right side on the penalty stroke, keeping the game scoreless.

“The first half, if we had of scored early on it would have been completely different,” Sacred Heart coach Alex Gheorghe said. “We missed too many penalty corners and we missed too many opportunities in front that would have clearly given us an advantage.”

Both squads had quality possessions and chances in the opening half. Sophomore Mallory Walker, junior Isa Packard and junior Lila Cabot helped lead GA’s stellar defensive effort, while Stewart and Caely Clough were among some of SHG’s defenders that stepped up.

Greenwich Academy senior Caroline Busler and Cartellieri had several good connections, while Sacred Heart’s offense was sparked by junior Charley Nemec, senior Payton Sfreddo and senior Emma Marvin.

Thirty eight seconds into the third quarter, GA struck, courtesy of Cartellieri, who scored off a crossball from eighth grader Cordelia Blanc.

“Our eighth grader on the team – she passed it with a reverse down the baseline, I ran in for a tip and it went into the goal,” Cartellieri said. “It was great that we got the first goal and after that it was just about keeping the effort up and all our energy on the field. We really wanted it and it paid off.”

With less than seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Sacred Heart drew four consecutive penalty corners, but could not score the equalizer. Stewart began the penalty corners with solid passes and the Tigers applied a lot of pressure in the circle, behind Nemec and Sfreddo, but a pair of shots went wide of the goal. Shipman also made a save off scrum in front of the net, while GA’s defenders were also scrambling to keep the ball away from the cage.

“I was really stressed, but honestly I was hoping to push through one-by-one,” Shipman send of the tense penalty corner situation near the conclusion of the game. “I was thinking, it’s the FAA finals, I have nothing to lose.”

Indeed, Shipman appreciated the effort of the defenders in front of her.

“The defense played amazing,” she said. “Mallory Walker – she had a lot of great tackles, including Lila (Cabot) and Isa (Packard). We played so well, I think this is the best we’ve played the entire season.”

The Gators were awarded a penalty stroke and Cartellieri calmly drove a shot past Sacred Heart junior goalie Teresa Harkins inside the left post, giving GA a 2-0 lead with 5:23 remaining in the final quarter.

“I’m so happy for her,” Brower said of Cartellieri. “She played outstanding and I’m so proud of her.”

Like their regular-season matchup against SHG, GA knew the Tigers would create scoring chances. The Gators’ penalty corner unit hustled extremely hard to hold the home team off the scoreboard.

“Making sure that our defensive penalty corners are flexible and smart is something that we spend a lot of time on,” Brower noted. “I was really impressed.”

Greenwich Academy took seven penalty corners and registered four shots on goal.

“It was so amazing to come back and beat them after the tough loss at home a few weeks ago,” said Busler, a co-captain. “We were so excited to play them. They’re an incredibly talented team and it feels like a huge victory for our team coming into next week. This is a great highlight for us and we’re so proud and excited.”

Said Greenwich Academy senior co-captain Brooke Bertrand: “I’m super proud of everyone. We had a few losses in the beginning of the season. But the last two weeks, everyone has really worked so hard and come to practice super excited and motivated to win. Everyone is playing together and super invested in our team.”

Sacred Heart had nine penalty corners and 13 shots for the game.

“This is not ideal, it’s not what we wanted, we worked super proud for these moments this season and it just didn’t fall our way today,” said Sfreddo, who captains the SHG squad, along with Marvin and Nemec. “Despite the outcome, I’m super proud of our team and how far we have come together. GA is a very strong, great team, so to play as well as we did today and to leave it all out on the field – I’m proud of our team.”

At the 9:34 mark of the third quarter, Sacred Heart junior midfielder Ainsley Clough was hit in the head with a stick and suffered a cut to her forehead. She was left the game and after being taken care of athletic trainers on site, she returned to action, showing her determination.

“She has been playing well the whole season, we’re really proud of her,” Gheorghe said of Ainsley Clough. “We would like to congratulate Greenwich Academy, they worked hard for the result and it’s always a great competition for us.”

With only two losses on the season, Sacred Heart (15-2) has qualified for the NESPAC Tournament, which begins next week and will likely get a home game in Wednesday’s quarterfinal-round.

“We have nothing to lose,” Gheorghe said. “We are a young team, but we are going to give it all and go game-by-game.”

Greenwich Academy has four losses this season, so they will wait and see if they qualify for the NEPSAC Class A Tournament. Seeding will be announced Sunday evening.

Friday’s win against Sacred Heart certainly helps Greenwich Academy’s chances of making the NEPSAC tourney. GA won the NEPSAC Class A Tournament championship in 2022, defeating Taft School in the title game.

“Without this game, it would have been tough making it, but we pushed through,” Shipman noted.

“We’ve been playing really well as a team as of recently,” said Greenwich Academy senior Gigi Caldero who was effective in the midfield. “We turned up the energy all this week during practice. I’m so happy for the team I know everyone put in so much work for this. It’s a really proud moment.”

“Our whole team executed, we’ve progressed really well from our last game against them,” Busler added. “It seems like each game we’re improving collectively as a unit. I’m so proud of the team, it’s a great way to finish my time on the team and I’m so excited.”