Girls’ Lax Coach Jackie Ceccolini Reaches 100 Wins

Last year was a dream year for the Branford Hornets girls’ lacrosse team as they won the Class M State Championship. They were the no. 4 ranked team in the CIAC tournament and defeated the no. 2 Pomperaug Panthers 15 – 8 for the title. The Hornets had finishing with a 16 – 4 record.

This year has started out pretty much where last year left off for coach Jackie Ceccolini and her veteran club. They finished the 2017 season winning the last six games on route to the title and this year they have won their first seven in a row. Sabrina Torcellini (pictured) had five goals for the Hornets.

Win no. 7 this year came Tuesday night, a 16 – 8 win over Guilford at Kavanaugh Field, home of the Indians. The victory was no. 100 for coach Cecciolini since she became head coach in 2006.

“It’s nice reaching the century mark in victories,” said the coach after Tuesday’s milestone victory. ​“I played on the first girls’ team in 2000 when the program started and now this,” she said of the 100th win. Forty-eight of Ceccolini’s wins have come over the past four years with 10 in 2015, 15 in 2016, 16 in 2017 and seven so far this year. Here Sophia Spencer moves toward scoring one of her six goals in the game.

Here Autumn McHenry gets past Guilford’s Maddie Costantino-Lyons. She had one goal and six assists in the game.

Here a Guilford player gets caught between Brianna Shaw (12) and Sophia Spencer.

“We’ve had some terrific players the past three years,” said the coach. Here a trio of Guilford Indians couldn’t catch up with LanLe Crotty.

Next comes a roadblock: LanLe Crotty, Haley Maercklein and Brianna Shaw won’t let a Guilford player get by them. 

Led by co-captains Sophie Spencer, the New Haven Register All Area MVP, and all-conference players Autumn McHenry and Sabrina Torcellini, the Hornets have been an area power averaging 15.2 goals per game while allowing only an average of 4.9. Here Spencer ​“clicks sticks” with Brianna Shaw after scoring for the Hornets.

Here goalkeeper Daly Hynes gets ready to stop a shot by Nicolette Spotlow.

In the Guilford game, Spencer scored six goals and had two assists, Torcellini, with five goals, and McHenry, one goal and seven assists. The Hornets fell behind 1 – 0 at the start, then recovered, took the lead, and never looked back. They outscored Guilford 12 – 4 in the first half and played even in the second half with each team scoring four each.Here Senior Erin O’Brien (39) looks to pass to Brianna Shaw.

Here Karly King (24) and Haley Maercklein (7) converge on Guilford’s Olivia Clarke.

Other Hornets who chipped in included Haley Maercklein, Briana Shaw, LanLe Crotty, and Erin O’Brien with one goal each.

Since the Guilford game the Hornets improved to 8 – 0 on the season with a 16 – 3 win over Sheehan on Thursday. At their next game against Joel Barlow on Saturday, Branford won 6 – 5 in what was their closest contest so far. They are 9 – 0 on the season.

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