In the head-caching debut of Alyssa Stevens and Alana Pulling, Cheshire High School field hockey (1-0) earned a 5-0 victory over Mercy (0-1). Mercy junior goalkeeper Sage Svalestad stood tall under considerable pressure, but the Rams still built a 3-0 advantage in the first half.
CHS jumped ahead with 6:23 left in the first quarter. On a penalty corner, senior tri-captain Caroline O’Dea hit the ball into the circle and junior Sarah Goldstein tipped the ball into the cage.
With 11:52 left in the second, senior Hannah Curtis scored on a pass from sophomore Tema Caplan.
To cap the scoring in the second, senior Mackenzie Lewis charged to the cage and tallied her first goal with 59 seconds left in the opening half.
After a scoreless third quarter, Cheshire converted twice in the fourth. With 11:07 remaining, Curtis had a point-blank shot saved, but she scored her second goal on the rebound.
Like Lewis, junior Lucy Dickenson picked up her first goal and point in the opener. With 19 seconds left, she drove the ball into the cage for the fifth goal.
With assists, Caplan (two) and senior Ella Paul (one) also supplied their first points. Goldstein added an assist.
Defensively, Cheshire didn’t give up a shot on goal. Senior tri-captain/goalkeeper Ginny Curello secured her first shutout of the year.
On Sept. 19, the Rams host Branford (2-0) at 4 p.m.
Girls’ Soccer (1-0-1)
After settling for a scoreless draw in last Thursday’s opener at Amity, Cheshire found the back of the net three times in winning their home opener, 3-0, over Sheehan (0-1).
CHS applied pressure throughout the contest, but Sheehan senior goalkeeper Trinity LaValley came up with clutch saves to keep her team within striking distance in the first half. Early in the game, LaValley made a diving stop on a breakaway by senior tri-captain Ally Corris.
The Rams still broke through with 27:46 left before halftime. Sheehan tried to clear a ball in front of sophomore Abby Sink, however, junior Sienna Morin made an interception with her right foot and then used her left foot to boot the ball into the right side of the net.
After intermission, Cheshire extended their lead with 27:20 left. From the left side, Morin crossed the ball into the middle to Corris, who deflected the ball toward the right post.
With a defender right next to her, junior Theresa Zurolo sprinted to the ball and angled a shot under a diving LaValley into the net. The goal was the first of Zurolo’s varsity career.
For the final goal with 5:48 left, Abby Sink sent a hard shot into the right portion of the net.
Due to sickness, senior goalkeeper and three-year starter Sophi Bates was out of the Cheshire lineup, however, freshman Charlotte Dziura offered to move into the position. She made three saves, two of which came on shots by Sheehan junior Amber May, and picked up her first shutout.
In the second half, May had a breakaway, but Dziura kicked the ball away from danger.
LaValley, who saved three breakaway shots in the game, posted eight saves for the Titans.
CHS led 11-3 for shots on goal.
On Thursday, the Rams visit Hamden (1-2) to compete at 5 p.m.
Cross Country (Girls, 3-0, Boys, 3-0)
In their dual-meet openers at Cheshire Park, CHS teams both started 3-0. Cheshire girls scored 32 points to beat Guilford (56), Wilbur Cross (64), and Sacred Heart Academy (88).
With a time of 19:21.9, senior tri-captain Alexa Ciccone finished runner-up by just .5 behind Wilbur Cross senior Anna Omelchenko.
Senior tri-captain Mia Vientos (21:06), junior Eva Curran (21:29), and sophomores Emily D’Souza (21:52) and Ava Ciccone (22:12) came in from sixth to ninth place. Freshman Sarah Curran (22:23) and Sage Falcon (22:45) earned 11th and 12th, respectively.
Cheshire boys (37) also defeated Guilford (39), Notre Dame-West Haven (51), and Wilbur Cross (118). For CHS, senior quad-captain Daniel D’Souza placed second (17:46.77).
Junior James Boyd (fourth, 18:14.31), senior quad-captains Jack Lengyel (sixth, 18:32.08) and Tyler Caron (12th, 19:21.57), and sophomore Hanan Talipan-Pinedo (13th, 19:26.26) followed D’Souza as scorers.
On Sept. 19, the Rams visit Branford Supply Pond to compete against Branford, Hamden, and Hillhouse. Races start at 3:30 p.m.
Girls’ Swim (1-0)
CHS kicked off with a 94-64 victory over host Mercy at Middletown Recreation Center. Individually, junior Natalia Gajecki won the 200- (2:08.03) and 100-yard (58.11) freestyles, while senior tri-captain Julia Barto had top times in the 100-yard butterfly (1:00.42) and 100-yard breaststroke (1:10.39).
Gajecki and Barto teamed with juniors Helen Baxter and Lauren Waitkus to claim the 200-yard medley relay (2:02.11). Gajecki, seniors Morgan McDonough and Julia Bevilacqua, and freshman Annie Superchi sprinted on the winning 200-yard freestyle team (1:49.84).
Senior tri-captain Grace Hanke, freshman Gabrielle Williamson, senior tri-captain Sella Cahill, and Barto touched the wall first in the 400-yard freestyle (3:57.01).
Freshman Courtney Gutmann (200-yard individual medley, 2:26.17), Superchi (500-yard freestyle, 5:33.19), and junior Julia Tejeda (100-yard backstroke, 1:05.95) also led the way in individual races.
On Sept. 18 at Sheehan, CHS faces host Lyman Hall at 5:30 p.m.
Boys’ Soccer (1-0)
The Rams built a 2-0 lead and held on to win 2-1 over Fairfield Prep (0-1-1) at Fairfield University. In the 27th minute, senior co-captain Elis Sulollari scored first on a feed from senior Alex Clark.
CHS got their second goal in the 49th minute. After junior Evan Brown was fouled, senior Will Stearns netted the eventual winning penalty kick.
The Jesuits cut the deficit in the 75th minute, however, Cheshire still came away victorious.
In net, senior Daniel Braylyan made a save en route to picking up his first win.
The victory was key for the Rams, who went 0-2-1 against their rival last fall.
On Sept. 19, Cheshire heads to New Haven’s Bowen Field to play host Career/Hillhouse Co-Op at 6 p.m.
Wednesday’s varsity schedule:
Girls’ Volleyball (1-0)
CHS travels to play Guilford (2-1) at 5:45 p.m.