Good teams in sports can revel in the success and good times when the wins are flowing freely, yet for truly great clubs like the North Branford girls’ lacrosse team, they take great introspection while learning and growing from each contest–whether they take a triumph or are dealt a defeat.

For last season, North Branford took a 14-12 defeat against Old Saybrook in the Shoreline Conference final and then won its first game in states before losing to those same Rams in the quarterfinal round. The Thunderbirds finished the 2022 season with an overall record of 14-6.

For states, the seventh-seeded T-birds kicked off the Class S State Tournament by netting a 11-10 home victory against No. 10 Tolland in first-round action. Next, North Branford played at second-seeded Old Saybrook in the quarterfinal round of the Class S draw. The T-Birds dropped a 15-13 decision to the Rams and were eliminated from the tournament with the loss.

This spring, the T-birds have gotten out to another solid start through the first half of the regular season with an 8-3 record through the first week of May. On May 2 against Cromwell on the road, North Branford prevailed by a 19-5 tally. Then at home two days later versus Old Saybrook, the T-birds suffered a close 14-13 loss, and then facing SCC school Lyman Hall also at home on May 6, North Branford scored a comfortable 17-4 decision.

Head Coach Lori Connelly disclosed that even with the healthy record at the surface, her squad has had to test itself through ebbs and flows and physical setbacks with regards to the starting lineup. Still, they know they have the experience and intangibles on their side to flourish through it all.

“We have had some ups and downs this season for sure and have battled some injuries and illnesses, but the girls have really come together and worked hard to win every game they have won,” said Connelly. “One good thing for me as a coach is I have lots of options for players this year. I have more than 12 players that are at the varsity level, so I can change things up and mix things around to help find the best combinations for each game. We are working on bringing up the intensity of our play, and I think that will help us find success with our end-of-season goals.”

The T-Birds are fortified up front by four captains. The tandem of senior captains is comprised of low attack player Mea Riordan and Mia Park, also on attack. Riordan has established herself as a lynchpin presence on the field for North Branford, while Park has been at the onset of major plays as the squad’s leader in ground balls.

“Mea has really come into her own this year as a leader both on and off the field. She has always been a role model for the team, but this year her presence on the field is undeniable and she really helps control the game for us. She is also a go-to option for the draw when we need her and the second leading scorer on the team,” said Connelly. “Mia is our most vocal leader on the team. She is also a key player in setting up many of our plays.”

Joining them are two junior captains with Keana Criscuolo in the midfield and hybrid attacker/midfielder Sophia Toto. As Criscuolo is additionally climbing up the club’s stat column for points, she sports a steady hand with the ball and, for Toto, she has showcased herself as a terrific utility player.

“Keana is currently our leading scorer, but is also one of the best stick handlers on the team. She is very composed with the ball and tends to make smart decisions when distributing the ball as well. She is a quiet leader vocally but leads by example both on and off the field in her play and her actions,” said Connelly. “Sophia switches between attack and midfield based on where I need her in a game. She is a very versatile player and handles the ball under pressure extremely well. She is also a great eye for finding open players very quickly. Sophia is also extremely organized and will lead by doing anything that is asked of her without ever having to ask her twice.”

Also a part of the senior class are defenders Gianna Palma and Ashley Manning, plus platooning goaltenders in Ava Candelora and Vicky McDermott, along with Natalya Guerrero in the midfield and defense, Ally Farrell (missing the 2023 season due to surgery), and Ashley Giglietti on attack.

“Gianna is my best defender at stepping in and taking charge; she is a tough defender with no fear. Ava began playing goal as a junior last year and has jumped in and embraced the job from day 1. Vicky has been playing goal since her sophomore year and the improvement from then to now is immense,” said Connelly. “Ashley is a powerhouse defender that really leads the whole defense. Natalya is a senior who stepped up and learned a new position this year when our team needed her due to vacations and injuries. Natalya is embracing her new role as a defender and will even play midfield when needed, as she is just a tremendous athlete that will do whatever is needed for the team. Ashley Giglietti is an attacker who just began playing last year and works on her skills every day to improve.”

Connelly additionally lauded her deep and talented junior class, which includes midfielder/defender Gianna Gamble, midfielder Callie Holzer, Morgan Lucibello, Katie Vaspasiano, and Mikella O’Brien on defense, alongside Tea Ferrucci on offense.

“My junior class is very strong with many players battling for positions everyday,” said Connelly. “Gianna has been switching between midfield and defense because she has the ability to play all over the field, but she is a great defensive leader who is very tough and never gives up. Callie has incredible speed and a keen ability to drive to the net and score in transition. Katie is one of my most coachable defenders, who is great at keeping low attackers behind the cage and not letting them roll to the cage. Morgan is a defender that grew a tremendous amount from last year to this year. Mikella is another defender and her strength is her ability to run down any attacker and force them outside while she also has the ability to clear the ball out well when we need it. Tea is an up-and-coming attacker that gets more and more confidence every game.”

Attacker Riley Cole has also been a sophomore standout for the T-birds this season, along with Alivia Schmidt on defense and Sam Ferraro aiding the attack.

“Riley has an amazing stick and has made a huge difference for us on the draw and with hard shots,” said Connelly. “Alivia and Sam are two more sophomores that are big contributors for us. Sam is one of the hardest workers on the team always working to improve, and Alivia Schmidt is a quick, aggressive defender.”

As Connelly projected rematches against Shoreline Conference rivals Old Saybrook and Old Lyme, plus SCC adversary Branford as key contests, North Branford will continue to push towards asserting itself at the top for both Shorelines and states. No matter where the squad stands currently, the T-birds know they are starting to soar and trending upward towards the time where playing at your peak performance truly matters.

“Our goals for the season are to win Shorelines and try to win a state title of course. We also just want to keep building our team chemistry and improve our game everyday,” said Connelly. “We know where we are now and where we want to be at the end of the season, so we are working hard to get there everyday. We seem to grow stronger everyday, and I hope we stay on that trend. I always tell the girls that it doesn’t matter where we are right now, it matters where we end up at the end. Each game is a stepping stone to the next, and if we grow and improve each game, then at the end we will be unstoppable. With each loss or close game we learn from it, and we don’t take those lessons for granted.”

The 2023 North Branford girls’ lacrosse squad roster is comprised of seniors Candelora, Farrell, Riordan, Manning, Guerrero, McDermott, Park, Giglietti, Gianna Palma; juniors of Gabby Palma, Holzer, Lucibello, Toto, Gamble, O’Brien, Vaspasiano, Ferrucci, Criscuolo; sophomores in Karma Melillo, Catherine Hannan, Schmidt, Sofia Spanier, Ava Perrelli, Cole, Mary Hannan, Ferraro; and freshmen with Isabella Warren and Alyssa Marino.

Connelly is joined on her staff by assistant coaches Ryan Connelly and Joanna Phabmixay. Connelly is in her 19th campaign as head coach and has been with the program for 20 years.

2023 North Branford Girls’ Lacrosse Team Regular Season Results and Schedule

April 4: North Branford 12, Old Saybrook 11

April 6: North Branford 16, Valley Regional 4

April 11: North Branford 15, Haddam-Killingworth 14 (overtime)

April 13: North Branford 17, Cromwell 5

April 20: North Branford 12, Morgan 8

April 24: North Branford 10, Old Lyme 9

April 27: North Branford 17, Haddam-Killingworth 12

April 29: Canton 14, North Branford 4

May 2: North Branford 19, Cromwell 5

May 4: Old Saybrook 14, North Branford 13

May 6: North Branford 17, Lyman Hall 4

Tuesday, May 9: at Morgan at Indian River Complex at 3:45 p.m.

Thursday, May 11: at Valley Regional at 3:45 p.m.

Saturday, May 13: vs. North Haven at 5:30 p.m.

Monday, May 15: vs. Old Lyme at 4 p.m.

Thursday, May 18: vs. Branford at 6 p.m.