After a dominant regular season in the Fairchester Athletic Association and a strong semifinal showing against Hamden Hall, there was just one piece of business left for the Greenwich Academy lacrosse team.
Annie DeFrino and friends made sure the coronation would be complete.
Led by DeFrino’s 11 goals, perennial powerhouse and top-seeded GA added yet another piece of hardware to its ever-expanding trophy case with a 19-7 victory over rival and second-seeded Convent of the Sacred Heart in the FAA tournament finals Tuesday afternoon.
It is the third straight league championship and 29th in 31 years for the Gators (16-1), whose only blemish was a 19-18 double-overtime loss to Loomis last weekend.
GA quickly rebounded from that setback in the form of a 20-9 rout of Hamden Hall in Monday’s semifinals, and followed that with its second victory of the season by double digits against the always feisty Tigers (11-7-1).
Indeed, it was a dream finish for first-year coach Melissa Anderson — a former assistant under the legendary Angela Tammaro — and her players.
“I felt more like a conductor this season following the legacy that (Tammaro) started and upheld here,” Anderson said. “It was a terrific season, and once again the girls rose to the occasion. We played a complete game from footwork to field vision and taking care of the ball. I’m just thrilled for them, especially our seniors.”
The crosstown rivals had met many times for the FAA title over the past three decades, and Anderson couldn’t have been happier when CSH outlasted Greens Farms Academy in Monday’s other semifinal.
The reason was simple enough.
“We have a lot of respect for the intensity and heart that they play with,” Anderson said. “I knew our girls would have no trouble getting up for this game. The motivation was there.”
It showed early on too as GA scored three quick goals in the first 2:24 and eventually built a 10-1 lead.
The Tigers, who won the league tournament in 2011, showed their fight throughout and would score three straight goals to make it a 10-4 game early in the second half.
Yet the Gators were simply too much behind DeFrino’s dazzling shooting display and the face-off prowess of junior Izzy Nixon, who helped the host control nearly 75 percent of the game’s draws.
“Possession of the ball is such an important part and everyone did a great job helping in the circle,” said Nixon, who was one of seven scorers for GA. “This team worked really hard this season and to see it all come to fruition in the finals against a great rival is pretty special.”
Emma Novick had a hat trick for the Tigers, while Kate Miller (two goals, one assist), Colleen O’Neill (one goal) and Alice Millerchip (one goal) rounded out the scoring for the visitors. Amanda Crowell made eight saves.
To their credit, CSH again chipped away at GA’s big lead and closed to within 12-6 at the 20:15 mark of the second half.
But the Gators would show their mettle, rattling off two goals in a span of 14 seconds en route to a 7-1 flurry to finish the contest.
“I really think the overtime win against GFA took its toll and then getting off to a slow start made it such a tough uphill climb,” CSH coach Courtney DePeter said. “GA is a great team and I give them a lot of credit. Draws controls were key and our shot selection could have been better. That said, there were so many positives for us this season and I was really happy to see us get back to the finals. This was a great group, and our seniors will be missed.”
For GA, Charlotte Dahl registered a hat trick and two assists, while Whitney Balanoff, Kelly Clark, Dani Freedman and Sasha Fritts each had one goal apiece. Five of GA’s scores came via free positions.
It was a total team effort for the Gators, who used two goalies — Lexie Seidel stopped six shots in the first half before Julie Mayberry came on to make three saves in the second half.
Meanwhile, the defense was spearheaded by co-captain Maggie Schmidt and Katrina Kraus, one of eight juniors who will be back to go for more gold in 2015.
“We played a strong game from start to finish,” Kraus said with tears of joy in her eyes. “We’re so happy for all the seniors, and this just adds more motivation heading into next season. We want to keep it going, so we know what the goal will be.”
Greenwich Academy 19, Convent of the Sacred Heart 7
Records: CSH 11-7-1; GA 16-1. Scoring: CSH-Emma Novick (3g), Kate Miller (2g,1a), Colleen O’Neill (1g), Alice Millerchip (1g); GA-Annie DeFrino (11g), Charlotte Dahl (3g, 2a), Izzy Nixon (1g,1a), Whitney Balanoff (1g), Kelly Clark (1g), Dani Freedman (1g), Sasha Fritts (1g). Goalies: CSH-Amanda Crowell (8 saves); GA-Lexie Seidel (6 saves), Julie Mayberry (3 saves).
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