By Andy Hutchison

FAIRFIELD — Despite a handful of starters absent due to a combination of injuries and clinics — and with four freshmen starting/playing bigtime minutes — Staples girls soccer held its own in a visit to defending South-West Conference Champion Notre Dame Prep.

The host Lancers prevailed 2-1, scoring twice in the second half to erase a 1-0 deficit but Staples Coach Barry Beattie was pleased with his team’s showing given the circumstances.

“We’ve got to be really happy about what we put out there and showed,” Beattie said.

Staples came into the game ranked seventh in the state, one place behind Notre Dame. The Wreckers fell to 7-5-2 overall and the Lancers improved to 12-0-2.

Freshmen Ella Grove, Paige Toeplitz, Remi Rutstein and Allyson Post all helped fill voids and played well against experienced Lancers.

The scoring started with Addie Talbott converting an Emme Dorfman free kick. The Lancers struck twice in a little over five minutes midway through the second half to grab the win.

“It was a good game,” said Beattie, adding that playing the Lancers makes for a state playoff-like atmosphere and tests his team.

This marked Notre Dame’s first win in four tries against the Wreckers in the past four years.

Staples had solid defense led by Talbott in the middle. Beattie said Talbott is among the best players in the state.

Staples hosts Wilton Tuesday at 4 and visits Darien to end the regular season Thursday at 6. Then it is on to the FCIAC playoffs.

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 hockey team. He has won numerous writing awards, including regional and national first-place honors.}}