Brookfield Girls Get By Barlow In SWC Quarterfinal

The 2nd seeded Lady Bobcats (13-3, 10-2) received a bit of a scare in the second half of their 12-8 South-West Conference quarterfinal victory against a surprisingly tough 7th seeded Joel Barlow (7-9, 7-6) team. 

In the first half of the game played at Brookfield Stadium, Brookfield raced out to a seemingly comfortable 9-2 lead and it appeared they would have no problem dispatching the Lady Falcons. Brookfield dominated Barlow in a game played early in the year at home but this was the playoffs and things wouldn't be so easy this time around.

"You're always confident against a team that you beat," Brookfield head coach Kary Rodgers said of the team's mindset going into the game.  "But you can never underestimate your opponent."

The two teams traded goals in the opening minutes of the second half before Barlow reeled off four straight goals to cut the lead to 10-7 at the 16:05 mark.  Senior captain Kim Sniffen began the run with her third of the game.

"I think it was the intensity level," Joel Barlow head coach Joe Caruso said of his team's halftime adjustment.  "We picked it up.  We were a little flat, a little scared in the first half. We played like that for both half's last time."

Brookfield used impeccable ball movement and a deft scoring touch from junior Kathryn Marron to take the big lead in the first half.  Marron scored six of her game high seven goals in the first half, including the first three of the game.  She was being fed by all her teammates as the Lady Bobcats spread the ball around.

"She has incredible stick skills," Rodgers said of Marron.  "She makes a sport that is not easy look easy."

Marron received an assist from senior captain Jackie Brown on her first goal, another on a nice feed off a penalty shot from junior Shannon Gruda, one from junior Emily Leonard on a break-away goal and two from senior captain Alexa Foldy who worked a perfect give-and-go with Marron for a 7-0 lead.

"The girls have played so long together," coach Rodgers said of the chemistry on the team.  "They know what they can do, they trust each other."

The Lady Bobcats offense was stymied by sophomore goalie Ally O'Hara in the second half and it was up to their defense to match the intensity level that Barlow was playing at.  Once the lead was cut the to three goals, Brookfield was able to play the game to a standstill for the next 11 minutes to slow the momentum.

"Their midfielders were more tenacious," coach Caruso said.  "We're a young team, we have a hard time going one-on-one."

With five minutes remaining Barlow's junior captain Clare Mclaughlin connected for the team's fifth straight goal to cut the lead to 10-8.  The goal was Mclaughlin's third of the game, all of which came in the second half.

"I'm proud of them," Caruso said.  "Brookfield had a great year.  I didn't anticipate playing them so close in the second half.  We cut it to two goals and I thought we could win it.  The clock ran out on us."

With the game and the season in the balance the Lady Bobcats finally broke through again, getting the final goal from Marron with 1:47 remaining.  Marron powered her way into the middle and was fouled on the shot giving the Lady Bobcats a player advantage.  Junior Kelsey Zimmerer scored moments later to seal the victory, getting an assist from Foldy, her third of the game on a breakaway goal.

"Barlow played tough defense," Marron said of the tight second half.  "We pulled through.  I'm so proud of the way the team played today to keep moving on."

The team advances to the SWC semi-final game to be played at New Fairfield on Tuesday.  The 6th seeded Lady Rebels (9-6, 7-5) will get a home game against Brookfield due to their surprising quadruple sudden death overtime win over 3rd seeded New Milford (10-4, 10-2) on Saturday.

"No matter who we play," Marron said of the semi-final game.  "We have to keep working hard in practice."

New Fairfield lost at Brookfield in the second game of the year in a game that Brookfield held a lead in but had to hold on for a one-goal victory.

"We can't get comfortable with a lead," Rodgers said.  "We don't play to our potential when we do.  We have to keep the intensity up for the entire game."

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