45°
The Westhill High Shool girls' soccer team could not have sent a clearer message to their critics on Wednesday night. The Vikings are back in the Class LL state final for the second year in a row and they did it in dominant fashion, silencing Hamden, 2-0.
Westhill played a cool, calm, and collected game, dominating every inch of the field. Tessa Dunster came up with a goal and an assist for Westhill, both off of free kicks. The second free kick from 50 yards out found Haley Hilsenrath right next to the net, where she headed the ball in for the insurance goal.
The defense was dominant once again for the Vikings as they have yet to allow a goal throughout the entire state tournament. Goalkeeper Jen Osher has been brilliant when she has needed to be, but she's had relatively little to do since her teammates have kept the ball out of their own zone. Not that anyone is complaining about the lack of drama in the games.
"This was one of those games where we knew we just had to secure the lead so we didn't have to worry about being only up by one," Dunster said. "We scouted them well and knew who to cover. We didn't get the FCIAC championship, so we really want that state championship."
A slow 2-2-2 start to the season suggested that perhaps their 2009 state championship was a fluke. Westhill has solidified the team and its confidence since then, going on a 13-1-2 run, including knocking off favored Cheshire and surviving an upstart Hall squad.
The 10-seed Vikings will try to win their second consecutive Class LL state title when they take on fourth-ranked Shelton on Friday at Norwalk High School at 7 p.m.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Stamford and receive free news updates.
