Greenwich High girls lacrosse team ready for state tournament after making it to the FCIAC Tournament semifinals

By David Fierro on May 27, 2024 • ( Leave a comment )

**Photo by David Fierro**: Leighton Collier of Greenwich, front, takes the ball down the field during the FCIAC Tournament semifinal against New Canaan. The Rams defeated the Cardinals, 9-6 and went on to win the FCIAC championship.

Following a stellar effort in the FCIAC Tournament, Greenwich High School’s girls lacrosse team is certainly heading into the CIAC Class LL tournament with plenty of momentum.

The Cardinals advanced to the semifinal-round of the always competitive FCIAC Tournament, defeating Ridgefield on the road in the quarterfinal-round, 13-11, then giving top-seeded New Canaan a tough game in a 9-6 loss in the tourney’s semifinals on May 20 at Brien McMahon High School in Norwalk.

New Canaan proceeded to defeat third-seeded rival Darien in the championship game of the FCIAC Tournament, 7-2, while Greenwich took away a lot of positives from its performance against the Rams, who are 17-1-1 on the season.

Greenwich led New Canaan 3-2, after the first quarter of the FCIAC semifinals, held a 6-4 advantage at halftime then went into the fourth quarter tied at 6-6.

**Photo by David Fierro**: Emma Abbazia, the leading scorer of the Greenwich High School girls varsity lacrosse team during pregame introductions at the FCIAC Girls Lacrosse Tournament semifinals against New Canaan at Brien McMahon High.

“The theme today was cool and confidence and I believe that we played with confidence in the first half,” GHS coach Tara Clough said. “We possessed off the draw, we have speed on our team and players stepped up all over the field.”

Against New Canaan in the conference tournament semifinals on May 20, Greenwich received a hat trick with one assist from senior attack Emma Abbazia and one goal apiece from sophomore midfielder Leighton Collier, junior attack Aubrey Roth and sophomore Sophia DiPietro.

The Rams who posted a 13-8 regular season win against Greenwich at Cardinal Stadium on April 18, shut out the Cardinals in the second half, while getting just enough offense – tallying twice in the third quarter and three times in the decisive fourth period for the 9-6 victory.

Giselle DiPietro of Greenwich, right, runs down the field with the ball while being pursued by a New Canaan High School athlete during the FCIAC Tournament semifinals at Brien McMahon High School on May 20, 2027. The Rams won, 9-6.

“The fourth quarter the girls really came alive,” New Canaan coach Kristin Woods said. “I was happy with the effort.”

Senior Lexie Tully scored four goals, while junior Sydney Patten and senior Devon Russell each registered two goals and one assist for New Canaan, which has won the FCIAC championship three times in four seasons.

“I think we were a little tense in the first half and even a little bit in the third quarter,” Russell said. “We were rushing when we didn’t need to and we weren’t really working as a unit.”

Greenwich High School’s varsity girls lacrosse team lost to New Canaan in the FCIAC semifinals, 9-6.

Roth gave Greenwich a 1-0 lead on New Canaan, scoring off an Abbazia assist 1:21 into the first quarter. Tully tallied off the ensuing draw just 11 seconds later, evening the score. Sophia DiPietro put the Cards ahead, 2-1, with a goal at the 8:44 mark of the opening quarter, then Patten converted a free position attempt, knotting the score at 2-2.

Abbazia’s goal off a strong move to the net gave Greenwich a 3-2 advantage heading into the second quarter.

“We were able to convert,” Clough said. “Emma Abbazia had some great takes early on and once we had some success, we believed that we could get it done.”

Mary Kate Frey of the Cardinals varsity lacrosse team looks to pass the ball during the FCIAC semifinal-round match vs. New Canaan at Brien McMahon High School in Norwalk on May 20, 2024. The Rams were victorious, 9-6.

With the score knotted at 4-4 in the second quarter, Greenwich got goals from Abbazia (8-meter shot) and Collier to take a 6-4 edge into halftime.

“Greenwich played great, they finished well on their shots,” Woods said. “Emma’s an extraordinary player and her teammates really stepped up.”

The third scored concluded in a 6-6 tie. In the fourth quarter, New Canaan outscored the Cards, 3-0, getting goals from Tully, sophomore Isabelle Janiga and Patten.

Senior Katie Janis made eight saves for Greenwich, five of which came in the first half, while Cecilia Patterson, a junior, stopped nine shots in goal for New Canaan.

Photo by David Fierro: Greenwich High School girls varsity lacrosse coach Tara Clough addresses the team prior to the second quarter of its FCIAC Tournament semifinal-round game against New Canaan. The Rams posted a hard-fought 9-6 win.

“The defense was phenomenal,” Janis said. “Everyone has this really positive attitude and communicated so well. Everyone put their heart on the field. We had our heart there. I think we should have won and we did amazing.”

“We wore our hearts on our sleeve and everyone was working like a machine and I’m really proud of our team,” Janis continued.

Greenwich’s Emma Abbazia (No. 1) looks to make a move on offense while being defended by New Canaan.

So now Greenwich moves on to the CIAC Class LL Tournament, which begins tomorrow, May 28. Seeded sixth in the 16-team Class LL Tournament, Greenwich hosts 11th-seeded Stamford Tuesday in the tournament’s first round at Cardinal Stadium at 5 p.m.

In 2023, Greenwich won in the first two rounds of the state tournament before losing to eventual state champion Darien in the semifinal-round.

Cardinals goalie Kate Janis turned in a strong performance against New Canaan in the FCIAC Tournament semifinals.

If Greenwich is victorious against Stamford, it will play the winner of fourth-seeded Ridgefield and No. 13 Norwalk in the Class LL quarterfinals on May 31. For the season, Greenwich has a record of 11-7.

“We fought to the end,” Clough said of her squad’s game against New Canaan. “The teamwork, the chemistry – the team units jell so well.”