Field hockey: Wilton routs Westhill in home opener

The Wilton High field hockey team wasted no time seizing control of Thursday’s home opener, scoring twice in the first four minutes en route to a 6-0 win over Westhill.

The Warriors (2-0) got two goals each from Sophia Kaplan and Caroline Ferro, and single goals from Jillian Mahon and Gwen Hall. Hall and Emma Rosen each had one assist.

The Wilton defense, anchored by Meredith Rappaport, Jess Hendry, Molly Thomas and Kaplan, held the Vikings to no shots on goal. Wilton got off 16 shots but Westhill got some great saves in goal from Sam Ripegno, especially in the second half. She finished with 10 saves.

https://youtu.be/ekWXHIekjv8

Wilton went up 1-0 just 1:45 into the game, on a penalty corner. Bridget Ward took the initial feed and rolled a pass to Hall, who carried the ball forward and blasted a shot from 10 yards. Ripegno made the save but Mahon — who initiated the corner — was right there to knock in the rebound.

Kaplan made it 2-0 two minutes later, after she had two shots stopped by Ripegno. She kept hustling and again got the rebound and backhanded a shot into the cage.

Wilton made it 3-0 with 10 minuets left in the first half when Rosen took a pass from Maddie Duffy, carried to the right of the goal and passed in front to Hall, who scored.

Kaplan notched her second goal late in the first half when she took a pass from Ward and rolled a shot from 15 yards in front that got by Ripegno, who was screened on the play.

Wilton had a 5-0 edge in shots at goal in the first half, although Westhill put pressure on the Wilton end late in the half, with a penalty corner and a couple of dangerous balls cleared by Katie Leffel and Madeline Pagliaro.

The second half was totally dominated by the Warriors, who had 11 shots on goal but were thwarted again and again by Ripegno. Ferro made it 5-0 with 18:22 left when she carried the ball to the top of the arc and blasted a rocket inside the right post. She capped off the scoring late in the game with another hard shot from about 10 yards out.

Wilton finished with a 16-0 edge in shots and 8-2 edge in penalty corners.