WOODBURY — The regular season didn’t end the way the Chiefs hoped it would: a heartbreaking, 4-1 loss to Thomaston in the Berkshire League girls soccer tournament championship game at Nonnewaug on Nov. 3.
Three days later, No. 8-seeded Nonnewaug left with its heads held high in a 1-1 (2-0 PK) win over No. 25 New Fairfield in the Class M state tournament first round.
After the loss to Thomaston, the Chiefs were hungry for a win.
“As a team, we knew how important this game was and how this could have been the end, and we did not want it to be the end,” said junior striker Ellie McDonald. “We were ready to win.”
“The feeling of going into today’s game was something big,” said junior goalkeeper Savannah Czerepacha. “After losing to Thomaston in the Berkshire League final, this game was a comeback game. We walked into the game strong and confident and ready to play our hearts out.”
Nonnewaug did not know what to expect coming into this game being that it was the first time they faced this team.
“Going into today’s game, we were unsure what type of team we were going to face,” said sophomore center midfielder Ella Quinn, “but I think we were confident and well prepared to put up a good fight and to perform at our highest level.”
During the first half, New Fairfield gained an early lead off of a free kick. But it didn’t take Nonnewaug long to score the equalizing goal by McDonald, who cleaned up a loose ball following Maylan Hardisty’s shot that the goalie deflected.
McDonald takes part in a few pregame superstitions for each game — including a wardrobe change after a bad outing like the one in the BL final.
“I usually try to wear the same spandex underneath my shorts if we win a game, and never wear the ones we lost in,” said McDonald. “I always try to wear similar or the same clothes as the day we win. I make sure to eat a meal that I have eaten before a winning game for dinner or lunch.”
After the second half finished, the score was tied at 1-1. The game went into overtime but the game still remained at a tie score of 1-1. The game advanced into penalty kicks.
“This was the first PKs I had to do all season,” said Czerepacha. “It’s not something new a goalkeeper has to face, but it is rare. It was something I was prepared for days in advance. You have to mentally and physically be in it when having PKs. You can’t let them get to you if you let one in. You just have to keep your head up high.”
Czerepacha saved New Fairfield’s first PK. Nonnewaug made its first PK, scored by sophomore Hailey Goldman.
Nonnewaug scored one more goal during PKs, kicked by Quinn. New Fairfield did not score any goals during PKs, thanks to another save by Czerepacha and two balls off the crossbar, leading the Chiefs to victory.
“I think everyone knew what was on the line today, and it made us that much stronger,” said sophomore center back Maia Colavito. “The pressure helped us play in a way we haven’t for a while. I think this game gave us very much-needed confidence in ourselves and the team as a whole. The most important thing for all of us to prepare for the game on Wednesday is to keep that feeling with us.”
Nonnewaug’s next game is scheduled for Wednesday at 2 p.m. at home against No. 9 Ansonia, who won 10-0 against No. 24 Platt Tech.
“We will have practice on the day off and just keep doing what we have been doing,” said McDonald. “We will be practicing the small things that will make the difference in the big games like states.”
