11/23 Update: Despite playing an excellent game, the Wildcats were defeated 1-0 this morning by Holy Cross. Devon Bushka scored for Holy Cross 10 minutes into the second half. Congratulations to the Old Lyme girls on an incredible season — you end it with your heads held high. Visit this link to read a game report by Sean Begin and published on the Courant.com
LYME-OLD LYME — The eighth-seeded Old Lyme girls varsity soccer team faces #3 Holy Cross at 10 a.m. today at Veteran’s Park in New Britain in their bid to become Class S state champions for the fifth time in a row. Fan buses are being run from Old Lyme and it is anticipated that a huge crowd of hometown supporters will be there to cheer on the girls.
Old Lyme defeated NW Catholic 2-0 in the semifinals on Wednesday when Lydia Tinnerello, one of five team captains for Old Lyme, scored twice at Xavier High School to lift #8 Old Lyme to a convincing victory.
Tinnerello’s first goal found the net just shy of eight minutes into the game and then she followed up in the last minute of the first half with a shot assisted by Abby Manthous. The move that culminated in the second goal had started with a free kick by another team captain Emily DeRoehn. The other captains are Katie Funaro, Melissa Mauro and Kaylee Armenia.
Paul Gleason’s Wildcats held onto their lead through the second half to the delight of all the spectators who had traveled from Old Lyme to support the team.
After the game, Tinnerello, who will play lacross at Merrimack next year, told LymeLine in a text, “I feel great about the game. It was a complete team effort. And I’m really proud of my teammates for always working their hardest.”
GO WILDCATS!