Tierney Lawlor wasn’t your typical freshman this year.
Not only did Lawlor make varsity — she was a starter and top contributor for the Ansonia girls soccer, basketball and softball.
“It was fun and a great experience,” Lawlor said.
Lawlor started at right back in soccer, played at shooting guard and small forward and at times, power forward, in basketball, and was a catcher-third baseman in softball.
Her versatility enabled her to play multiple positions and her desire to be there enabled her to become a starter and excel against upper classmen.
Although soccer is her third sport, she still excelled in it and was a top defender.
She used her strength and speed towards neutralizing Ansonia’s opponents and limiting the amount of shots her goalie faced.
In softball, she hit .325 with three doubles, two triples, 15 RBIs and an on-base percentage of .406. She delivered many clutch hits.
“Tierney has a great work ethic, she always shows up ready to put in 110 percent,” Wheeler said. “She is never satisfied and is always willing to put in the extra time. She exemplifies the true mentality of an outstanding athlete.”
Lawlor plays her best in big games as she was 3‑for‑5 at the plate in a 3 – 2 upset win over Seymour and scored the tying and winning runs.
“I keep my eye on the ball and hit it as hard as I could,” Lawlor said. “When I get on base, I run.”
Without a doubt, she lifts Ansonia’s soccer and softball teams. However, her best sport is basketball where she averaged 5.5 points and 4.8 rebounds a game. The 5 – 7 Lawlor was especially strong at the end of the season in which she averaged 13.5 rebounds in both playoff games and 9.7 points in her last three games (including the two playoff games) of the year.
Basketball is also her favorite sport. During the offseason, she plays AAU.
“I love playing it because there’s a lot of action and you run up and down the court,” Lawlor said.
She began playing basketball and softball at age 5 and made her soccer debut freshman year.
“I just love playing sports and that’s what was available to me and I have fun doing it,” Lawlor said. “Soccer was available in the fall and I thought it would be a lot of fun and it was.”
Coming from a family that’s into sports also played a role in her gravitating towards and excelling in sports. Her father John, Ansonia, Class ’84, was a football and basketball player for the Chargers, earning All-State on the gridiron, and her mother Eileen (Ansonia, ’84) was a cheerleader.
Eileen’s sisters, Linda Morse (Ansonia ’87) played volleyball and Susan Morse (Ansonia ’94) was a cheerleader.
“My parents influenced me a lot, took me to my sporting events and helped me get better and better,” Lawlor said.
