By Andy Hutchison

NORWALK — Staples field hockey came back from a late 1-0 deficit to force overtime before ultimately falling 2-1 to Darien in Wednesday’s FCIAC Championship game at Brien McMahon High.

The No. 2 Blue Wave avenged losses to the top-seeded Wreckers in both last year’s FCIAC and Class L State title contests.

The Wreckers surrendered a first-quarter goal and trailed until early in the fourth when Mary Stevens centered from the right side and Daisy Hackett banged home the tying goal. It came just 1:30 into the final 15-minute quarter.

Solid goaltending by Paige Knesich kept things even throughout the rest of regulation and a pair of 10-minute 7 on 7 overtime sessions. She dove to break up chances, sprawled to make saves, and gave the Wreckers hope despite being put on their heels by a relentless Blue Wave attack.

“Constant pressure,” Staples Coach Ian Tapsall said of Darien’s style of play. “It’s like you’re uphill all the time.”

The Wreckers might have been outplayed at times but the defense and Kneisch got the contest into penalty shots to finally decide a winner. Neither of the first four shooters on either side scored. Darien’s Anna Durte got one in during the fifth and final round, putting all of the pressure on the Wreckers.

Darien backup goaltender Tess Hageney came off the bench in relief of starter Ella Cherenek and was a wall in the penalty shot round. Hageney broke up Staples’ fifth attempt but was whistled for an infraction on the play, giving the Wreckers one more try on a penalty shot. Hackett had a nice shot up high by Hageney got her arm pad on the ball to secure the win.

“I think it would have been a much better game for us if we played the same way today as we played against Ludlowe last week,” said Tapsall, whose Wreckers defeated Fairfield Ludlowe 4-1 in the semifinals.

The Wreckers are accustomed to playing on a faster surface and did not adjust enough to the slower pace of play, Tapsall said.

Although disappointed in the result, the Wreckers are not done yet and there may just be a chance at redemption. A rematch in the state final might be inevitable, the Staples coach said.

Staples is the top seed in Class L; Darien is seeded No. 3 behind No. 2 Wilton but Tapsall believes that the Wreckers and Wave are headed for a rematch. Darien and Wilton played to a scoreless tie early on but has come on strong with convincing wins.

“I would imagine if we play to our potential we’ll play them again in the final,” Tapsall said.

Wilton, of course, is a threat and looking to bounce back after being upset by Greenwich in penalty strokes in FCIAC quarterfinal action.

State bracket play begins Wednesday, Nov. 5 for Darien and the Wreckers have a bye and will have their first game Nov. 7 or 8 in the quarterfinal with the semis set for Nov. 11. Greenwich is seeded sixth and is on the same side of the bracket with Darien and Wilton. Staples is grouped with conference foes No. 4 Ludlowe and No. 5 New Canaan and might have to face one of those two in the semis. 

Staples’ first opponent will be the winner of No. 8 Hamden and No. 9 Conard of West Hartford. The title game is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 15 at Wethersfield High (time TBD).

Recent Westport Journal coverage of field hockey

• Next stop: championship game!
• Wreckers beat Eagles in FCIAC quarterfinals
• Field hockey completes perfect regular season
• Goalies can score, too: field hockey netminders join the goal barrage

Andy Hutchison

^{_{Andy Hutchison has been covering school sports — including Staples athletics — as well as news and feature stories, since the 1990s. He is the sports editor at the Newtown Bee. He writes for the Monroe Sun. He was director of communications and radio color commentator for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (now Islanders) hockey team. He has won numerous writing awards, including regional and national first-place honors.}}