Wilton deals Ludlowe girls soccer 4-1 loss

Just one point from clinching an FCIAC playoff berth, the Fairfield Ludlowe girls soccer team was only 40 minutes from officially qualifying for the conference tournament.

But the high-powered Wilton offense made sure it was the Warriors which inched closer to clinching that FCIAC tourney berth.

Sophomore Jayne Maccio scored two of Wilton's four, second-half goals as the Warriors downed Ludlowe 4-1 on Tuesday at Taft Field.

Warriors senior Casey Pearsall had a goal and an assist and Lindsay Knutson potted once as Wilton came within one point of the conference tournament.

"It's been a major point: we can't get the ball in the back of the net," Wilton coach Megan Rodriguez said. "We have a hard time finishing our goals ... and today, it was on."

Krissy Bradley scored Ludlowe's lone goal and Falcons' keeper Bridget Clarke stopped five shots.

"It was not a good enough effort from us tonight," Ludlowe coach Kate Dawson said. "We lacked focus and intensity. It was a lackluster performance overall."

The Falcons did clinch an FCIAC tournament berth, thanks to Greenwich's 2-1 win over Westhill on Wednesday.

Wilton goalkeeper Liz Forster stopped just three shots, two of which came on first-half breakaways. The Warriors' senior keeper did not have to make a save in the final 40.

"We didn't have a lot of pressure on their keeper," Dawson said. "Their goalie made two really nice saves that I saw, but overall we did not get enough pressure on her to challenge her and create those scoring opportunities."

Though tied at halftime, the Warriors outshot Ludlowe in the first and Rodriguez felt it was a matter of time before Wilton found the back of the net.

"We were on their end than they were getting strikes on us," Rodriguez said. "I told them `if you play your game, we're going to get this goal.'"

Maccio made her coach a prophet when -- just 12 minutes into the second -- she cashed-in, re-directing Pearsall's cornerkick by Clarke and in, making it 1-0 Wilton.

Less than six minutes later, Knutson's header off Kayla O'Brien's free-kick cross lifted the Warriors' edge to 2-0.

"Girls were just unmarked," Dawson said. "That's unacceptable."

Bradley's breakaway goal in the 63rd minute cut the Falcons' deficit to 2-1. The senior midfielder took a free kick from Katie Coyle and beat Forster.

But two Warrior tallies in four minutes -- Maccio's brilliant free-kick goal and Pearsall's 35-yard bomb over Clarke's head -- sealed the Falcons' fate.

"The little details are what hurt us in this game," Dawson said. "We have to take care of the details if we want to be successful."

ppickens@bcnnew.com; twitter.com/Pat_Pickens