Just a week removed from its only loss of the regular season, the Wilton High School girls lacrosse team returned to the scene of the crime for revenge. The Warriors were ready for New Canaan this time and took advantage of a depleted Rams lineup. Sophomore scoring combo Casey Pearsall and Tegan Helms each scored four times to lead Wilton to its third FCIAC final in four years, 14-11.
"We really wanted to prove that we could come back and beat them after they beat us," Pearsall said. "We just had to play the full 50 minutes. They're a strong team with whoever they have out there."
New Canaan was without star scorer Olivia Hompe and starting goalkeeper Elizabeth O'Sullivan, but the Rams managed to keep Wilton on edge for nearly the entire game. The two teams traded goals early and were tied 3-3 just eight minutes into the game.
The gaping hole left by the absence of Hompe and O'Sullivan soon became apparent, though, and Wilton drove right through it. The Warriors pulled away and dominated possession of the ball from the midway point of the first half. Wilton held an 8-6 halftime lead, but that would be the closest New Canaan would get for the rest of the evening.
The Warriors' lead got to five at one point and Wilton simply had to kill the clock. The game was summed up in one play when Nicki Rutishauser ran a long, looping route from deep in the Wilton zone all the way to the New Canaan goal, feeding Helms for Wilton's 13th goal. That play alone milked nearly 40 seconds off the clock without much interference from New Canaan.
"Not many teams are lucky enough to come back and beat the team that just handed them a loss," Helms said. "Our team is good at adjusting to changes and we kept the intensity up."
Aside from Pearsall and Helms' stellar performances, Maddie McClintock and Christie Huidekoper scored twice. Katherine Vincent and Lindsey Flanagan each added a goal apiece.
Wilton meets Darien in the FCIAC girls lacrosse finals on Friday at Brien McMahon High School. Faceoff is scheduled for 4 p.m.
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