By Andy Hutchison

WESTPORT — The Staples field hockey team came from behind in the second half, broke a late tie and edged visiting Greenwich 2-1 in the Class L State Tournament quarterfinals Friday.

Mary Stevens scored to tie the game and set up Tyla Ozgen’s eventual winner.

“In the second half, that was Staples hockey,” said Staples Coach Ian Tapsall, noting the Wreckers had the right combination of determination and calmness to get the job done after a sluggish opening half of play.

Trailing the No. 7 Cardinals 1-0 at the half, the No. 2 Wreckers got even with 5:49 left in the third quarter after Leah Larit generated a penalty corner opportunity. 

Charlotte Strange inserted the ball, Alex Hackett put it on goal and Stevens was there to deposit the rebound. It was a 1-1 game going to the fourth.

Staples controlled much of the play in the second half and the Wreckers seized the lead with 5:57 left.

Stevens made a run up the right wing and centered to Ozgen who, while sliding to the turf, lifted a one-time shot into the back of the cage for the eventual game winner.

The goal was made possible by Staples’ propensity to shut down Greenwich’s offense before the Cardinals could get deep into their offensive half of the field.

“That goal was classic counter-attack hockey,” said Tapsall, whose team had solid defense from the likes of Adela Ardrey, Caroline Roschen and Strange.

Staples kept heavy pressure on the Cardinal defense with the likes of Sofia Fidalgo, Larit, Stevens, Ozgen and others stickhandling and passing their way to circle.

“It was awesome. In the second half we had a lot of momentum. It felt good to capitalize and get the lead,” Ozgen said.

“It felt really good. She had a good diving effort there, got dirty and wasn’t afraid to score the goal,” Stevens said of Ozgen’s heroics.

The Wreckers get back to work Tuesday in the state semis facing the winner of No. 3 Cheshire vs. No. 6 Glastonbury (time to be determined). (Game schedules are subject to change; click for the latest CIAC updates.)

Andy Hutchison has been covering school sports — including Staples athletics — as well as news and feature stories in Fairfield County, since the 1990s.