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St. Joseph's Alexa Pino appears to be doing a midgame balancing act today against New Canaan. (David G. Whitham)

Girls Soccer

St. Joseph Remains Unbeaten, Edging New Canaan On Pino’s Late Goal

Dave Ruden

10.07.2024

Bracing for the postseason and the chance to continue its run of league and state titles, the St. Joseph girls soccer team started what is by far the most difficult week of the regular season with a hard-fought victory over New Canaan.

In a game that seemed headed for a draw, the Cadets relied on their most decorated player to again provide the heroics. Alexa Pino converted a set piece from the corner with four minutes remaining for a 1-0 victory.

The Cadets (12-0), the No. 1 team in the state, have won three straight state and two successive league titles. They have not lost since the sixth game of the 2022 regular season, a 2-1 decision against Fairfield Ludlowe. They are riding a streak of 50 matches without a loss, which includes a pair of ties.

St. Joseph has made a habit of finding ways to win in tough games, a task that has been made easier since the arrival of Pino, the two-time state Gatorade Player of the Year, who took advantage of her Senior Day to add to her trove of game-winning goals.

“I thought we were a little bit better,” St. Joseph coach Jack Nogueira said. “We created a little bit more chances to score. We had some shots that their goalkeeper made great saves on. They’re better than last year. Their girl (Clare Greisen) up top makes them a bit better. She’s pretty good on the ball.”

The Cadets’ week doesn’t get easier. They host No. 2 Staples in a renewal of the state’s best rivalry in the sport on Wednesday. The Wreckers (10-0-1), 5-1 winners over Danbury today, have the last chance at preventing the Cadets from their fourth straight regular season title.

“We are going to try and win the game Wednesday and we’ll be disappointed if we don’t, but there will be bigger games than Wednesday and that’s the message I told the girls,” Nogueira said.

Asked if earning the No. 1 seed is important, Nogueira said,” Absolutely.”

The Rams (9-3) remain in third place in the standings, with 27 points, two ahead of Fairfield Ludlowe (8-3-1), which leapfrogged both Ridgefield and Trumbull (7-2-3), which played to a 2-2 draw today, by a point.

The Rams, who lost two of their first three games, were riding an eight-game winning streak and ranked 8th in the state heading into today. Their losses — all by one goal — are to other teams atop the standings, and they have Trumbull and Ridgefield waiting next.

Their coach, Rich Hickson, was hoping to come away with a point today but was pleased by the performance of his team, which again proved it can play with the best in the league.

“I thought we played really, really well,” Hickson said. “I was proud of the girls and the effort they put forward. It was a tough one, especially to concede when we did. It doesn’t give you much time to try and get back in the game. Every loss is tough, but in the last four or five minutes and you’ve put forth the effort, it’s a little tougher to take.”

The Rams have control of their own destiny to finish in the top four of the league standings and get a home playoff game in the first round of the FCIAC Tournament. They have a chance to do that in their next two matches.

“We have met some tough teams but to put that run of wins together was really good and fed into the confidence we’ve got going,” Hickson said. “We can compete with anyone in the league.”

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