A game that started in a very awkward fashion ended well for Fairfield as they defeated the Comets 2-1, winning the 2017 GMC title on Thursday night in a showdown battle for the conference championship.
The game started with Fairfield attempting to kick the opening kick-off out of bounds so they could substitute 2 injured seniors who received ceremonial starts on Senior Night.  The kick went to a Mason player who respectfully kicked it out of bounds.  On what should have been a throw in back to Mason Fairfield did through the ball to Mason but then immediately initiated a full on attack, the ball was played by Fairfield towards the Comets end line where a Comet defender shielded the ball and the Fairfield player fell awkwardly and required the cart to remove her from the field.  To Fairfield's credit they came ready to play and used their speed to disrupt the Comets passing lanes and possession. 

In the 6th minute a foul was called against Mason 25 yards from the goal and Fairfield delivered a perfect direct kick to start the game 1-0.  Fairfield's disruptive and direct style helped them to keep the ball in their attacking half for much of the first half.  The Comets did muster a few trips into their attacking 3rd and on a Annie Metzger Corner kick a foul was called against the Indians in the Box and Olivia Polnow delivered a well executed PK for a 1-1 score.  With just 90 seconds left in the half the Indians won a corner kick that they effectively finished for a 2-1 halftime lead.  For the half the Comets took 3 shots 2 on goal and the Indians took 4 shots 3 on goal.  The Comets took 1 corner kick to the Indians 3 and were called for 5 fouls to the Indians 6.  Emma Schewe had 1 save on a beautiful dive to her right.

The Comets did bring a stepped up intensity to the second half needing a win to overtake the Indians for the GMC title.  The second half was much more evenly played as the Comets were able to find better possession thru quicker ball movement.  Shortly after the half started Tori Bonno slipped a cheeky pass thru the Fairfield back line for Annie Metzger running free at the goal, the Indian's keeper came way off her line in an attempt to stop Metzger, who put a nice shot past the keeper that looked like a certain goal until a streaking Fairfield defender was able to race back and knock the ball off target just before the goal line.  In addition to quicker passing the Comets, following the lead of Senior Jordan Reddington, also stepped up their level of aggressiveness.  The second half saw both the Comets and the Indians take 3 shots with 1 on goal.  The Indians were called for 5 fouls to the Comets 3 and again took 3 corners to the Comets 1.