Darien's Reign as Field Hockey State Champs is Over

Darien had all the momentum and was dominating the overtime. Surely, it was only a matter of time before the Blue Wave would find themselves back in another field hockey state championship game.

But then in an instant, everything changed.

Valentina Tudisco scored an electrifying goal out of midair with 3:19 remaining in the first sudden death period Thursday, lifting Wilton to a 3-2 victory in the Class M semifinals at New Canaan's Dunning Stadium.

Wilton (19-3) dethroned Darien as four-time Class M state champions and advanced to its first final since 2006, the year before Darien began its run.

Wilton, the fourth seed, will face No. 7 seed Branford in Saturday's final at Wethersfield at 10 a.m. Branford advanced with a 2-0 win over No. 6 Barlow.

Darien has been the Warriors' longtime nemesis.

"I can't even talk right now, I'm so excited," said Tudisco, who was mobbed by her teammates. "We got the winning goal and now we're in the state finals and it's so exciting. It's absoluting amazing (to beat Darien).  I can't even think right now. I just want to scream."

Darien, meanwhile, may have nightmares about Dunning Stadium. It also was the location where the Blue Wave had their 82-game winning and 93-game unbeaten streak snapped by Staples in the FCIAC semifinals.

"We don't like this field any more," said Darien coach Mo Minicus, who was upbeat in defeat. "We used to love this field." 

After surrendering four shots in overtime, including one a 2-on-1 breakaway, Wilton finally got the ball in Darien's end.

Blue Wave goalie Danica Hornick made a kick save on Megan Cunningham's cross. But the ball caromed to Tudisco, who whacked it into the net, setting  off a wild celebration.

"Now that we've beaten Darien, we have to win the states or else it won't mean as much," Wilton goalkeeper Lizette Roman-Johnston. "Our coach always says it isn't really a state championship unless we beat Darien along the way."

The Blue Wave might not have even gotten to overtime if for not Lizette Roman-Johnston, wo stopped a penalty stroke in the second half.

"Even though she is a sophomore, she plays like a veteran goalie," Wilton coach Deirdre Hynes said. "She is one of the best goalies I have ever coached. When we had the stroke called against us, honestly, I was like, 'She's got it', because in practice she saves almost everybody's."

Wilton jumped to a 2-0 halftime lead on a pair of goals by Megan Ward. Led by Joanne Nazareth and Jill Detrick Yee, the Warriors' defense did a masterful job defensively in the first half, blocking shots and taking away passing lanes. Darien not get its first shot until just 1:38 remained in the half.

The Blue Wave (19-2) came out with much more energy in the second half and got on the board on a goalie by Lilly Cassidy with just over 14 minutes remaining.

With 5:58 left, the Blue Wave was awarded a penalty stroke after Wilton was called for an illegal defensive save. Galen Rohn tried to go right but Johnston guessed correctly to make a glove save.

"To be honest, I was pretty scared because (penalty strokes) are kind of unfair to the goalie," Johnston said. "The goal is so big, so I was really scared but I was so relieved afterward."

After Darien forced overtime on Kat Huber goal with 3:24 left in regulation, Johnston faced an even scarier situation on the 2-on-1 when the Warriors' season really was on the line.

Once again, she came up huge, making a kick save on Cassidy's shot.

"I had in the back of mind that these could be the last seconds of our season and I just knew to go all out," Johnston said.

The Warriors earned another 60 minutes, the final 60 minutes.

And even though Darien fell short of its goal, the Blue Wave can take satisfaction in their season after graduating 13 seniors, including 10 starters.

"That's what I told the girls," Minicus said. "There really was no pressure because they far exceeded expectations that most of us had for the girls this season, not that they weren't skilled but we had one returning starter."