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FAIRFIELD -- There's grinding out games.
And then there's what the Trumbull girls' basketball team did in order to post a 40-33 win over Stamford Tuesday night in the FCIAC semifinals at Fairfield Ludlowe.
The third-seeded Eagles probably didn't win any style points with the win -- not that they care too much since it allows them a chance to defend their FCIAC title Thursday night.
"It wasn't pretty, but we got the win and a win is a win," Eagles' senior Victoria Pfohl said.
Trumbull advances to play top-seeded and undefeated Danbury. The Hatters rallied after a knee injury just before halftime to star senior center Casey Smith to defeat No. 4 Wilton 51-38 in the nightcap at Ludlowe.
"It shows that even with my best player going down, these kids have a lot of heart," Danbury coach Jackie DiNardo said.
As usual, the Eagles (19-3) won with their defense, holding the No. 7 seed Black Knights to five field goals in the second half. Trumbull coupled that with the other side of their winning formula, shooting 5-for-13 from 3-point range for the game.
After a slow first half -- where the teams combined for five personal fouls -- things picked up in the third quarter, though neither team likely wants to remember the frame's 16 combined turnovers. Stamford's press -- helped by high-energy point guard Kelsey Cognetta -- frustrated Trumbull's backcourt forcing them into wayward passes. Meanwhile Trumbull's suffocating defense left Stamford little room to shoot and the Black Knights kept it close, thanks in part to 17 offensive rebounds.
A late 3-pointer by Victoria Pfohl -- playing on a twisted ankle suffered in the first quarter -- followed by a layup by Katherine O'Leary in the final minute of the third gave the Eagles their biggest lead of the game to that point at 29-24.
The way the game was going a five-point lead seemed massive, but Stamford fought back to pull within 29-28 on back-to-back jumpers from Kelsey Santagata early in the fourth., Santagata, along with Cognetta, led the Black Knights with 13 points.
Following a free throw by Erin Moore for Trumbull, came perhaps the game's biggest basket from the hands of unheralded Eagles sophomore Joyce Woolen. She knocked down an almost flat-footed shot from the right side to make it 32-28 and shift momentum. After a stop on defense Pfohl hit a three to increase Trumbull's lead to seven, leaving Stamford chasing the rest of the way.
"Some would say least likely, but that's her sweet spot. She's a great standstill jump shooter," Trumbull coach Steve Tobitsch said of Woolen's shot. "We practice game situations. We've been in so many close games that the girls know how to manage it."
Down only 35-31 after a 3-point play from Santagata with 2:21 left, Stamford had a chance to make it a one possession game, but after a wild scramble and numerous put-back opportunities couldn't get the basket to fall.
"They're a tough team, they're a good team," Stamford coach Todd Parness said. "We felt like we were in it the whole time. A couple different layups go in for us at the end and maybe we're talking about a different outcome right now."
Moore led Trumbull with 10 points, along with 12 rebounds. Alexa Pfohl added nine for the Eagles to match her sister Victoria's output.
"We were not talking about championships at the start of the season," said Tobitsch, noting only Moore, Victoria Pfohl and Amanda Pfohl logged major minutes for last year's FCIAC-winning team. "It was all about competing, competing, competing. We challenged the girls so they'd have the chance to defend their title in the playoffs."
In order for Trumbull to do that, it'll have to get by Danbury. The Hatters beat the Eagles 43-40 on Feb. 13 in Danbury. The status of Smith, who was on crutches and will get an MRI Wednesday, figures to be the big talking point ahead of the final.
"I heard a pop," Smith said following her team's win. "It's definitely not an ACL or anything (season) ending. If I'm up to it on Thursday it's my choice."
mcardillo@ctpost.com/@CTPostCardillo
FCIAC semifinal at Fairfield Ludlowe
STAMFORD (12-10)
Lauren Shapiro 1 0-0 2 Kelsey Cognetta 5 2-4 13 Brianna Gordon 1 2-2 4 Kelsey Santagata 6 1-1 13 Jasmin Barrett 0 1-2 1 Totals: 13 6-9 33
TRUMBULL (19-3)
Alexa Pfohl 2 4-5 9 Katie Foley 0 0-0 0 Joyce Woolen 1 2-2 4 Kate O'Leary 1 0-0 2 Victoria Pfohl 2 3-6 9 Amanda Pfohl 2 0-0 6 Erin Moore 4 2-4 10 Totals: 12 11-17 40
STAMFORD 13 6 5 9--33
TRUMBULL 10 10 9 11--40
3-pointers: S--Cognetta; T--Al. Pfohl, V. Pfohl 2, Am. Pfohl 2
FCIAC semifinal at Fairfield Ludlowe
WILTON (14-7)
Erin Cunningham 3 3-4 9 Casey Pearsall 1 1-4 4 Haley English 1 1-2 3 Alysa Malvarosa 1 2-4 4 Maddy Fulton 6 3-4 16 Erica Meyer 1 0-0 2 Totals: 13 10-18 38
DANBURY (22-0)
Nahla Ward 0 0-0 0 Nicole Hanna 1 0-0 3 Rachel Gartner 5 0-0 12 Casey Smith 6 2-2 14 Allie Smith 3 0-0 6 Rebecca Gartner 5 4-6 15 Kayla Hanberry 0 0-0 0 Lindsey Eanniello 0 1-2 1 Totals: 20 7-11 51
WILTON 9 13 6 10--38
DANBURY 15 8 16 12--51
3-pointers: W--Fulton, Pearsall; D--Hanna, Ra. Gartner 2, Re. Gartner.
Fouled out: W--Fulton
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