Edged by one goal against Rye Country Day School in overtime on Senior Day, Greenwich Academy’s Varsity A lacrosse team was hoping to return the favor and capture a title in the process when it played the Wildcats in the championship game of the FAA Tournament on May 14 at Tammaro Field.

However, Greenwich Academy, which entered the title game as the two-time defending FAA Tournament champion, learned that it was Rye Country Day’s time to hoist the championship trophy.

Second-seeded Rye Country Day won the FAA Tournament championship with a well-earned 13-9 victory over top-seeded host Greenwich Academy – a win giving the Wildcats their first league title in more than a decade.

Junior Elle Mason recorded five goals and junior Sarah Anderson registered two goals and three assists to lead Rye Country Day School, which posted an 8-1 record in the FAA and finished the season with a 16-2 mark overall. Perry Casazza, a junior attack, scored five goals to pace the Gators (10-4, 7-2 FAA).

“It was awesome, it was hands down one of the best games we played, which makes this loss even tougher,” Casazza said. “I think there is never a satisfaction with a loss and again that added to how sore this loss feels.”

Both of GA’s FAA losses this spring came against RCDS, which edged out the Gators, 10-9, in overtime on May 5th before topping them in the FAA final. Junior attack Delaney Enright and Gray Foster, a freshman attack, added two goals apiece for GA.

The Wildcats scored the game’s first goal with 9:41 remaining in the first quarter, then took a 2-0 lead with 6:57 left in the opening quarter. GA closed to within 2-1 with 30.5 seconds to go in the opening quarter with a goal and RCDS took a 3-1 edge 14 seconds into the second quarter.

After GA cut Rye Country Day’s advantage to 3-2 with a goal at the 7:31 mark of the second quarter, the visitors scored three straight times to go ahead, 6-2. The Wildcats took a 7-3 lead into halftime of this championship matchup.

RCDS opened a 10-4 third quarter lead by scoring three straight goals, two of which came from Mason. Her goal off a free position shot, made it 10-4 in favor of the Wildcats. The Gators worked their way back into the game, however, tallying three consecutive goals.

Casazza scored with 2:43 to go in the third period, then Enright generated a goal off a dodge with 44.2 left in the quarter, bringing GA to within 10-6. Casazza added a goal with 6.2 seconds left in the third quarter, cutting the Wildcats’ edge to 10-7.

“We had our strong plays,” said GA senior midfielder/attack Ellie Watts, who took a lot of the team’s draws. “Third quarter we turned it around and started getting our energy back.”

After Rye Country Day tallied 46 seconds into the fourth quarter to go ahead, 11-7, the Gators made it a close game down the stretch, courtesy of Casazza. She converted an 8-meter shot at the 8:21 mark of the fourth quarter and added another goal with 6:20 remaining, cutting the Wildcats’ advantage to 11-9.

However, RCDS scored the game’s final two goals, with Mason making it 12-9 with 4:52 left to play. Sophomore attack/midfielder Maddie Lane had four draw controls, freshman attack Gray Foster tallied two draw controls and junior midfielder/defender Abby Iles also had two draw controls for Greenwich Academy.

Sophomore Lauren Connell, who produced a strong season, played most of the game in goal for GA, which was coached by Tee Ladouceur. Marguerite Triggiani also saw some action in goal in the second half for GA.

“I’m incredibly proud of this season from where we started,” Greenwich Academy senior midfielder Leighton Collier said. “We’re a really young team.”

Greenwich Academy played the title game without the services of senior captains Reese Quinn, a defender and Maggie Whidden, a midfielder. Quinn and Whidden, who were key contributors throughout the season, were sidelined late in the season due to injuries.

“Obviously, it’s not the way we wanted to go out,” said Collier, who will continue her lacrosse career at the Division I level at The University of Pennsylvania. “But it was hard with only two seniors on the field. It was definitely a loss without Reese or Maggie, but that left big shoes to fill for other people to step up.”

“That being said with such a young team, the next three years is going to be incredible,” Collier continued. “There’s a lot of good things coming for them.”

The matchup also marked the final varsity game for Watts.

“It’s been amazing,” Watts noted. “The team is so much fun to play with and be around and I think we grew a lot this season even though it didn’t end how we wanted it to. We still put up a good fight and had a good season.”

Said Collier: “We wanted to come in and get revenge. Losing on our Senior Day to this team by one goal in overtime was tough. But we fought hard, we fought to the very end.”

Casazza, whose older sister Dylan, a Greenwich Academy graduate, also competed on GA’s Varsity A squad, is already eagerly anticipating next season.

“We’re going to carry this into next season,” Casazza said. “I am looking forward to it. I’m excited with the energy the team brought today and I’m excited to bring it to next year.”