Greenwich High girls soccer team edged out by St. Joseph in FCIAC final in game deciding in penalty kicks

By David Fierro on November 1, 2025 • ( Leave a comment )

**06878 Photography by Antonio Monteiro:** Anna Lenschow of Greenwich High School’s varsity girl soccer team (No. 18) pursues the ball, along with Taryn Czick of St. Joseph during the FCIAC Tournament final. St. Joseph won in penalty kicks.

When Greenwich High School’s varsity girls soccer team played St. Joseph in the championship game of the FCIAC Tournament on Oct. 28th at Fairfield Ludlowe High School, it was truly a classic confrontation between the two premier squads.

The top-seeded Cardinals and third-seeded Cadets both played with great intensity, exhibited sensational ball movement and displayed outstanding teamwork and desire throughout this championship matchup, which not surprisingly, went into overtime after 80 minutes of back-and-forth action.

Though the Cardinals created more scoring opportunities than the Cadets, including several excellent chances to tally, the conference tournament’s title game was scoreless heading into overtime and following two 10-minute overtime periods nothing changed, with the score 0-0/

That resulted in the game going to penalty kicks to decide the outcome and which team would capture the coveted title. No. 3-seeded St. Joseph prevailed in the penalty kick portion of the game, 4-1, to earn a 1-0 win over No. 1-seeded Greenwich in the title game of the FCIAC Tournament.

**06878 Photography by Antonio Monteiro**: Greenwich High School senior forward Harriet Franks, right, controls the ball during the FCIAC Girls Soccer Tournament final against St. Joseph at Fairfield Ludlowe High School.

Coached by Jack Nogueira, St. Joseph has now won the FCIAC Tournament championship three times in the last four seasons. The Cadets defeated Staples for the FCIAC title in 2022 and 2023 and lost to New Canaan in the championship match in 2024.

Greenwich last won the FCIAC Tournament championship in 2012, sharing the title with St. Joseph. In 2011, the Cardinals claimed the FCIAC tourney title outright, defeating Fairfield Warde in the final.

Coached by Simon Rumbold, the Cardinals advanced to the championship game of the FCIAC Tournament for the first time since 2012 by edging Staples in the tournament’s semifinals on Oct. 24th, topping the Wreckers in penalty kicks. Unfortunately for Greenwich, the penalty kicks scenario didn’t go its way versus St. Joseph.

In the midst of their most successful season since those 2011 and 2012 campaigns, the Cardinals’ only two losses this fall are to the Cadets. GHS, which sports a sparkling record of 14-2-2, dropped a tough 1-0 decision to St. Joseph on Sept. 5. Since that loss, leading up to the FCIAC final, the Cardinals were riding an unbeaten streak of 15 games.

**06878 Photography by Antonio Monteiro:** Greenwich’s Siena Ettinger looks to pass the ball during the championship game of the FCIAC Girls Soccer Tournament at Fairfield Ludlowe High School. In pursuit for St. Joseph is Danika Neugebauer.

Greenwich exhibited effective play and communication on both ends of the field in the FCIAC final against St. Joseph, with senior Harriet Franks, senior captain Julia Gustafsson and freshman Siena Ettinger creating scoring opportunities/shots on goal up front and senior captain Anna Lenschow and junior Kenna Harlow helping power the Cards’ midfield play.

“Outside the first 20 minutes or so, we were the better team,” Rumbold said following the FCIAC title game. “The girls were executing what we asked them to do at a high level against a really good team. We created three really good chances and it just didn’t bounce our way tonight.”

Greenwich’s prime scoring opportunities came on a header from Franks after receiving a cross from junior midfielder Montserrat Thompson in the 19th minute and on a free kick from 40 yards out that hit the cross bar with 14:20 remaining in the second half. Another shot hit the post in the second half.

**06878 Photography by Antonio Monteiro**: Greenwich High School’s varsity girls soccer team was defeated by St. Joseph in the championship game of the FCIAC Tournament, 1-0, in an exciting game decided in penalty kicks.

“We did what we have done all season,” Rumbold noted. “The first 15 minutes was tough, then we settled down and we started to play and we were able to dominate the ball and grind them down. Our chances did come and on a different day, we take them and it’s a different story.”

Gustafsson converted her penalty kick opportunity for Greenwich when the game went to penalty kicks. Each team had five penalty kick attempts. Taryn Czick, Sara Wicker, Chloe Woodley and Giuliana Mazzoli each scored on their penalty kick tries, resulting in another championship victory for St. Joe.

Junior goalie Cailyn O’Hara was named the championship game’s MVP. O’Hara made four saves in the winning effort. Greenwich sophomore goalie Taylor DeVries, also performed very well, making four saves as well.

**Photo by Antonio Monteiro/06878 Photography:** Greenwich’s Kenna Harlow looks to move the ball against St. Joseph.

“When we get the ball down and we move it we’re able to control games and possess the ball,” Rumbold said. We did that today and I’m proud of these girls. The kids stepped up and did what we asked them to do. We hit the bar and post unfortunately.”

Greenwich, which is captained by Gustafsson, Lenschow and senior defender Ella Whitridge, earned the No. 2 seed in the CIAC Class LL Soccer Tournament and received a first round bye. The Cardinals will host Darien, the No. 15 seed, on Nov. 4th at Cardinal Stadium. The game is scheduled to begin at either 2 p.m. or 4 p.m.

“All through the season, the team has shown a lot of togetherness and they have bought into what the coaches have asked them to do,” Rumbold noted. “For them to execute as well as they have has been great.”