Sandy Hook, CT — Newtown High School’s girls’ soccer team followed up its first setback of the season, a 3-2 loss at South-West Conference rival Bethel on October 13 with a 2-1 victory over nonconference foe Suffield on the road, two days later. The Nighthawks hosted Masuk of Monroe in another SWC contest, on Senior Night, October 18, and blanked the Panthers 2-0. These were big wins after the team’s first taste of defeat. Losing was not such a bad thing for the Nighthawks, said Coach Marc Kenney, noting that it is very difficult to go unbeaten in the South-West Conference and better to get a loss out of the way before the playoffs. “If you lose in the SWC playoffs, that’s it,” he said. Bouncing back was key as the Hawks look to gain momentum and maintain confidence heading into the postseason. “It was huge, and against a really, really good Suffield team,” noted Kenney, whose Nighthawks handed Suffield only its second loss. Newtown’s five seniors — Hannah Snayd, Skyler Howard, Bella Gerace, Riley Powers, and Ryann Heim-Sherwood — stepped up and led the way in the Senior Night win against a tough SWC foe. Powers scored twice, on a free kick and off an assist from Ella Morits. Snayd played solid defense despite battling an injury. Heim-Sherwood made seven saves and was aggressive at the right times, coming out to the top of, and at times well outside, the 18-yard box to clear the ball. “Riley, Bella, and Skyler were just outstanding,” said Kenney, adding that all five seniors rose to the occasion. “That’s the leadership it takes to beat a team the quality of Masuk,” Kenney said. The Panthers had only one conference game loss coming in, a 1-0 setback to unbeaten in the SWC Brookfield, which Newtown tied. Newtown had stellar defense across the back, and Izzy Caron broke up a chance when the Panthers were pressuring. “The energy was there from the beginning and the bench really helped out,” Powers said. In the Bethel game, Powers and Sydney Oltran scored. Kenney noted that it was a physical battle. Bethel lost to Masuk earlier this campaign but is otherwise unbeaten in conference play. Oltran and Powers hit the back of the net, and Powers and Teagan Waaler earned assists. Newtown (10-1-3 overall and 9-1-2 in conference play) is in the midst of a very tough stretch of games to close out the regular slate. The Nighthawks visit a Notre Dame-Fairfield team that has lost only to Bethel, on Friday, October 21, at 7 pm. The regular season wraps up Monday, October 24, with a visit to Pomperaug of Southbury; Pomperaug’s only conference blemish is a setback to Notre Dame. Heim-Sherwood hopes the Hawks carry that energy Powers mentioned into the stretch run and beyond. “We’ve got to take that into Friday, Monday, and into the playoffs as well,” Newtown’s goalkeeper said. Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at [email protected]. https://www.newtownbee.com/10212022/girls-soccer-team-bounces-back-from-first-defeat-with-big-victories/