Dillon Schoen scored at Norwalk. (Darien Times photo)
GIRLS SOCCER
It’s been a bumpy ride, but Wave girls soccer has bounced into states.
Beating the Bears 7-0 at Norwalk has done the CIAC tournament ticket-punching trick.
Kelly Karczewski (No. 20) breaks free in Darien’s 0-0 tie at Greenwich on Friday. (Darien Times photo)
Darien breaks a four-game non-winning streak, losing three times and tying a tough Greenwich once during that dip, to reach 6-7-2 with one regular season game to go vs. Warde (10-3-2) — Senior Day — on Thursday.
“That win did it,” said Wave second-year coach Leigh Parsons of Tuesday’s fateful game. “We came out, we played some good stuff — we took some chances.”
Darien had its chances in a 0-0 tie at Greenwich on Friday, not a bad result against the 8-1-6, fifth in the FCIAC Cardinals.
“We played very well,” Parsons said. “So hopefully it can start to happen for us. We’ll see.”
Not making FCIACs, Darien can now make it all happen at states. The Wave is 24th in Class LL.
Seedings are out next week.
Seeding the Bears net with shots for DHS, Emily Stein and Julia Black with two goals apiece.
And Dillon Schoen, freshman Erin Karczewski, Alexa Sheldon each scored one.
Phoebe Taylor made three saves in the Wave cage.
Assists: Kelly Karczewski set up her little sister, Morgan Sawitsky fed Stein with a corner kick, Vanessa Budd set up Black’s second marker, Erin Karczewski passed to Stein on the 2-0 goal.
Black took a player out wide and fired a stunner for her second goal, while four goals later, the K and K sister act, about, capped the match.
Vanessa Budd about to make the ball go away on defense for the Wave. (Darien Times photo)
“Erin Karczewski played it to her sister,” Parsons said. “She tried a bit of skill; down the line; cut it back to Erin and Erin finished first time.”
But there was one more, final offensive burst to go.
“Alexa got it off of Liz Forelle and turned inside,” Parsons said. “And (she) took on a player and had a great shot.”
But for much of the season those goals have been hard to come by.
“I think in most of our games we create lots of chances,” said Parsons. “It’s tough finding the back of the net sometimes.
“That was the big thing. That’s the way the game is.”
Darien finishes the regular season and goes into states with a strengthening Ellie Bennett, who missed much of the season with injury.
“She played a majority of the game yesterday,” Parsons said. “Her coming back is helping.”
Sawitsky is helping Darien in the backfield as well.
“She’s been really good back there,” added Parsons. “She’s able to distribute, which is very good.”
