The Ridgefield girls soccer team celebrates its win over Wilton in the FCIAC Central semifinals.
Gretchen McMahon / For Hearst Connecticut MediaWith a victory over Wilton on penalty kicks Tuesday, the Ridgefield girls soccer team clinched a spot in the FCIAC Central Region finals against top-seed Staples.
But when, or if, that game is played remains uncertain.
Originally scheduled for Nov. 12 in Westport, the title game was postponed due to a spike in COVID-19 cases this week at Staples that led officials to close the school for in-person classes on Thursday and Friday. A make-up date has not been announced.
Several Staples students who tested positive on Wednesday were members of the girls volleyball team and competed in Tuesday’s 3-0 win over visiting Ridgefield in the FCIAC Central finals. As a result of those positive tests, the Ridgefield girls volleyball team and its coaches have been told to quarantine for 14 days.
Ridgefield, the third seed, advanced to the girls soccer finals after edging second-seed Wilton on penalty kicks in Tuesday’s semifinal at Lilly Field in Wilton. The teams were tied 0-0 through regulation and two 10-minute overtimes before the Tigers won the penalty kicks, 6-5.
Each team converted its first five penalty kicks before Ridgefield substitute goalie Faith Arnold stopped Wilton’s sixth attempt. Julia Bragg then converted her penalty kick to give Ridgefield the victory.
Arnold, an All-State forward, took over in goal for the penalty kicks after Caroline Vilinskis received a red card for touching the ball outside the box with one second left in the second overtime. Vilinskis was filling in for first-team keeper Kelly Chittenden, who missed the game while recovering from a concussion.
Allison Ouellette, Charlotte Kemp, Grace Michalowski, Eva McKinley, and Arnold also converted their penalty kicks for Ridgefield, which improved its record to 6-0-3.