Greenwich Wins FCIAC Girls Soccer Title

Emma Christie knew she needed to get to the back post.

Once there, the Greenwich junior took a cross from Amanda Onofrio and slid the ball inside the near post with 18:07 remaining in the first half to give the Cardinals 1-0 victory over Fairfield Warde in the FCIAC girls soccer final Saturday afternoon at Fairfield Ludlwoe.

"I just saw Mandy coming down on the other side of the field and I knew I had to get to that back post because I knew there was going to be a great cross coming across the top of the box," Christie said. "I've always been told to get to that post. I'm just glad it worked out this time."

The fourth-seeded Cardinals (13-1-4) made the goal hold up with stifling defense, allowing few quality scoring chances in a defensive-minded game in which space was limited.

It was Greenwich's second straight FCIAC title and third in five years under seventh-year coach Danny Simpson. Last year, the  Cardinals defeated Westhill 1-0 in overtime in the FCIAC final.

"When I got the program seven years ago, we never made the FCIACs (and) we had only made states twice," Simpson said. "To be in three finals in five years and win it three times, to make states every year, it's a credit to the effort these girls put in and how hard they work."

Greenwich reached the final by upsetting top seed St. Joseph 4-1 in the semifinals on Thursday. After avenging their only regular-season loss, the possibility existed of a letdown against No. 7 Warde in the final. However, Christie and the Cardinals made sure that wasn't going to happen.

"The game against St. Joseph gave us more momentum," Christie said. "We knew our job wasn't over once we beat St. Joseph."

Neither goalkeeper -- Warde's Katie Brennan (three saves) Greenwich's Maddie Graham (one save) -- were severely tested throughout the contest.

"It was a tremendous effort for both teams on the defensive end," Warde coach Tom Cunningham said. "Both teams have had succes scoring this year and the defense stepped up for both sides."
 
Still, Greenwich was the more aggressive team at the start and generated a few more chances. The Cardinals capitalized on one of them, and that's all it took.

"Their player finished when she had to," Cunningham said. "We made a few mistakes in the back. We messed up on a marking there. We also allowed let the ball roll through the 18, which we talk about all year. We don't want the ball to bounce in there."

In the second half, however, Warde was the more assertive team and played with greater confidence as the play ball was in Greenwich's end for the majority of the time.

"Fairfield Warde was fantastic today," Simpson said. "I thought the first 20 minutes we came out and played so well with some great chances.

"But, boy, whatever Tom said to them at halftime, I'd like to have it on record because they came at us and gave us everthing they had. Credit to our girls. We stood firm. We didn't give an opening for 80 minutes. That makes them worthy champions."

Seeded seventh, the Mustangs (11-6-2), reached their first FCIAC final in school history with a pair of 1-0 victories, including an upset of No. 2 seed New Canaan in the quartefinals.

They pushed to the final whistle Saturday, but just couldn't break through against Greenwich's wall.

"At halftime, we talked about how we had to be a little more aggressive going to the ball and work on possession," Cunningham said. "That second half, we showed what we could do. They kept working the entire game. They kept battling. Even with 40 seconds left, they trying to get it up field."