Sacred Heart Greenwich hosted the 12th Annual Heart to Heart Connection September 7.  Newton Country Day School of the Sacred Heart (NCDS), located in Newton, Massachusetts, traveled to Greenwich to compete in field hockey, soccer, cross country, volleyball, and crew events.  

To start the day, Sacred Heart varsity A and varsity B field hockey teams played in a round-robin tournament with participating teams from NCDS, Darien High School, Greenwich High School, Greenwich Academy, and Staples High School. 

Senior Morgan Smith, co-captain of the Sacred Heart varsity A team, shared her thoughts on kick-starting the season on the Joan Magnetti, RSCJ Turf Field. 

“The round-robin was a great way to start the season,” Morgan said.  “Being that over half the team is new, it was really beneficial for us to learn how to play with each other and how to connect on the field in a real game situation.  Playing other Sacred Heart schools is always fun because there is a sense of connection both on and off the field.” 

The varsity A team beat Darien High School, NCDS, and tied Greenwich Academy and Staples High School.  The varsity B team tied NCDS and lost to Greenwich High School. 

The Sacred Heart varsity soccer team defeated Newton 3-0 with goals from juniors Alana Frederick and Lara Patricio and senior co-captain Amelia Sheehan.  Taylor O’Meara, senior co-captain of the varsity soccer team, opines that the victory bodes well for the remainder of the season.  

“In past years, NCDS has been a really challenging opponent for us, especially this early in the season,” Taylor said.  “This year we came in really strong, fit, and determined and the results showed.” 

Kelsey Popeo, a senior on the NCDS soccer team, feels as though the games are more than just competitive matches between the network schools. 

“Being a part of a community that is driven by our commitment to the goals and shared values, I truly feel connected not only to the girls at NCDS, but to all the girls in the Sacred Heart community,” Kelsey said.  

Elizabeth Colligan, senior co-captain of the Sacred Heart varsity crew team, enjoys racing against other girls in the network. 

“It is special to see your fellow Sacred Heart sisters in action and use the energy of the competition to have some extra fun,” Elizabeth said.  “It is also fun for it ‘technically’ not to count to our record.  It takes the stress off and we can enjoy the day more.” 

The Sacred Heart and NCDS varsity cross country teams took on the 3.1-mile racecourse at the Greenwich campus during the Heart to Heart Connection.  Lily DeConcini, senior co-captain, believes that the hilly terrain of the course prepared both teams for their future races. 

“The Newton race prepared me for the rest of the season because our course at Sacred Heart contains many hills which consequently made my body really prepared for other courses that aren’t as difficult in terms of incline,” Lily said. 

Lily feels that their team connection is making strides in the 2019 season. 

“My favorite part of cross country is the amount of team chemistry we have, despite the fact that it is an individual sport,” Lily said.  “We are always cheering one another on.”

The Sacred Heart varsity volleyball team defeated NCDS 3 sets to 0.  Ms. Amy Greer, Middle School Math Teacher and varsity volleyball assistant coach, appreciates when the two teams take a picture together at the end of the match. 

“It really shows that we can be competitive, but in the end we are all members of the Sacred Heart family,” Ms. Greer said.

Featured Image by Jacey Heffernan ’21