Glover Delivers as Bobcats Capture Historic Title

Bacon Academy girls soccer pose after winning the program’s first state championship, defeating top-seed Suffield in the Class M state championship game in Hartford. 

In what turned out to be a championship match for the ages, Bacon Academy girls soccer outlasted previously undefeated Suffield 2-1 on penalty kicks (11-10) to win a state championship on Nov. 18 at Trinity Health Stadium in Hartford. 

Once the dust had settled on the epic match, the Bobcats had earned the program’s first state title, leaving the Capital City as the Class M state champions,  

Junior goalie Liz Glover earned the Most Valuable Player award after scoring on a pair of penalty kicks, including the championship-clincher, and stopping four of Suffield’s penalty kicks. 

Glover said that it was a surreal feeling once she netted the final kick to cement the title. 

“I was so happy that I even made it in, and turning around to see my entire team rush the field and hearing all of our fans cheering was just incredible,” stated Glover. “This being the first year Bacon Academy girls soccer has ever made an appearance at the state finals was already such a huge accomplishment for us and our program, but winning was something else entirely.”

Midway through the first half, sophomore Alyssa Blanchette provided Bacon Academy a 1-0 lead after getting an assist from junior Katherine Novak.

Suffield’s Hazel Qua knotted the match late in regulation to send it into extras. 

After 100 minutes of game play — including a pair of 10-minute overtime periods — the sun had set on the stadium and the game remained tied before going into PKs.

That’s when Glover went to work and delivered her MVP-moment. 

“Being named the MVP of the match was something I truly never thought was possible about nine months ago,” stated Glover, who suffered an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tear earlier this year.  

She called the grueling recovery “one of the hardest things I’ve had to do, but being here now it is definitely all worth it. I could not be prouder of the team, the coaches, and everyone who put in so much work to get us here.”

Head coach Matt Rafala said that Glover put in “extraordinary” hard work while rehabbing, saying she had a “calming effect” on the team when she returned from injury this season.  

Similar to Glover’s recovery, The Bobcats journey to the state title match was also a roller coaster. 

Following an 11-4-1 regular season, the team was ousted in the first round of the Eastern Connecticut Conference (ECC) tourney.
But once the state tourney began, Bacon began to sizzle, starting with a pair of convincing home win over Oxford (5-1) in the first round and Windham (3-0) in round two. 

The Bobcats, who entered the state tourney as the No 11 seed, then went on the road for the quarterfinals round and upset No. 3
Granby Memorial 3-2, winning on penalty kicks (4-2) to advance to the semifinals. 

It was the team’s second straight trip to the semifinals, losing to Mercy High School at Willow Brook Park in New Britain a year ago.
This fall, they made the most of their return trip to the turf at Willow Brook, defeating No. 2 seed and unbeaten Woodland 1-0 on Nov. 14.  

With 5:02 left in regulation, sophomore Mia Hageman scored a goal that proved to be the difference when she sent home a shot after receiving a perfect lead pass from Blanchette. 

“I was running as hard as I could because I wanted to get a goal, and I saw open space,” recalled Hageman.

Glover and the Bobcats defense, led by senior captains Emily Ferrigno and Cara Shea, blanked the Hawks from Beacon Falls, who had scored eight goals over their first three tourney games.  

“We all have such good defensive chemistry; we all talk a lot” Glover said of the defensive unit. “It makes it easy when I have these girls in front of me.”

Rafala believed the experience the team gained in the semifinals a year ago paid dividends. 

“Most of the players that played in that game last year, played in that game tonight,” Rafala said after the team advance to their first state title match. “They’ve played in big moments before and they’ve been on a mission this year.”

But it wasn’t ‘mission accomplished’ until after the Bobcats beat Suffield, who had won their previous 20 games this fall, in the state championship match.  

Now, the 2023 Bobcats will officially go down in history.  

“Being a part of this team will always hold a special place in my heart,” stated Glover. “The girls are like my second family, and this was a year I will never ever forget.”

From left; sophomore standouts Alyssa Blanchette and Mia Hageman, along with senior captains Emily Ferrigno and Cara Shea celebrate the Bobcats thrilling state title victory.