With an opportunity to catapult Fairfield Ludlowe into the FCIAC finals for the first time, Colleen Fitzpatrick wasn't going to let a second set slip away. Fitzpatrick and Boyle responded to win No. 1 doubles 6-1, 7-6, clinching second-seeded Ludlowe's 5-2 win over third-seeded Staples in Monday's FCIAC semifinal at home. Ludlowe will face fourth-seeded New Canaan in the conference championship on Wednesday at Wilton High School at 4 p.m. The Rams, last season's conference runner-up, beat top-ranked Greenwich 4-3 on Monday. The Falcons, who edged Staples 4-3 in their previous meeting on April 11, captured three of the four singles matches on Monday. At No. 3 singles, Ludlowe's Cami Adajian improved her personal record to 17-0 this year with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Kelsey Shockey. After Staples picked up its first win at No. 4 singles, with Julia Bartimer topping Kyra Adajian 6-1, 6-2, the Falcons notched the match-clinching fourth victory at top doubles. Given Ludlowe's strength at the singles positions, Fabian believed his team needed to make an impact at doubles.

In an afternoon update on traffic and parking at Westport's railroad stations, Police Chief Dale Call warns that officials expect heavier Tuesday ridership on Metro-North trains, and the buses bringing passengers to the Saugatuck depot from points east. - Parking Lot 2 at the west end of Railroad Place, adjacent to the New York-bound tracks, will be closed to commuter parking until 9 a.m. That allows the area to be used as a shuttle bus staging area.

Prices for single-family homes increased in 89 percent of U.S. cities in the first quarter as the housing market extends a recovery from a five-year slump. The median sales price rose nationally from a year earlier in 133 of 150 metropolitan areas measured, the National Association of Realtors reported this week. The housing recovery is strengthening as the job market improves and the Federal Reserve pushes down borrowing costs for mortgages to near-record lows. The unemployment rate fell to a four-year low of 7.5 percent in April, according to federal Department of Labor data, and the number of Americans filing claims for jobless benefits unexpectedly dropped last week to the lowest level in more than five years.

The Staples High boys tennis team cruised past No. 7 Wilton 4-0 in the FCIAC quarterfinals on Friday at home. Baxter Stein and Jason Chaskin defeated the Warriors' Bryan Crampton and John Williams 6-2, 7-5 at No. 1 doubles to clinch the match for second-seeded Staples. Each of the Wreckers' wins against Wilton came in straight sets.

The programs include educational outreach for children, seniors and veterans. Long red ribbons dangled from the ceiling to create a Giving Tree Chandelier that featured silk-screened cards created by seniors at Bridge Academy, a Bridgeport magnet high school. [...] dangling from the ceiling was aerialist Shaunna Kotka of Las Vegas, who entertained the crowd of about 500 people with her gymnastic and balletic moves performed on a hoop suspended in air. Performing artists strolled throughout the Steel Shed on stilts, wearing colorful costumes, interacting with guests and joining them on the dance floor. With guidance from Venezuelan artist Eduardo Agelvis they added to a three-paneled, multi-media work of art by adding paint, applying gold leaf and drawing squiggles with white chalk.

Greens Farms Academy defeated Bancroft School of Worcester, Mass. 9-0 on Sunday to win the New England championship. Competing in the tournament's C (small school division) bracket at Westminster School in Simsbury, the Dragons rolled through the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals without losing a set. The Dragons defeated Canterbury School (New Milford) in the quarterfinals and Winsor School (Boston) in the semifinals. Forty schools applied and 24 were accepted into the tournament based on strength of schedule and season record. The Dragons bounced back from a 14-2 loss to Holy Child on May 14 to defeat Convent of Sacred Heart 8-4 two days later. Senior Sarah Young took the mound for only the third time this season, pitching in place of senior Brooke Cirillo, who suffered a concussion against Holy Child.

Greenwich High entered Saturday's FCIAC quarterfinal against Staples' boys lacrosse team well aware of the damage the Wreckers' high-scoring duo of Joey Zelkowitz and Colin Bannon were capable of unleashing. Making the Wreckers' top two scorers work exceptionally hard to get clear looks at the goal, the fourth-seeded Cardinals used a strong defensive effort to post an 11-8 win against No. 5 Staples at home. With the win, Greenwich advanced to Tuesday's semifinals where it will face top-seeded Ridgefield at Brien McMahon High School at 7 p.m.. Six different players scored in the first half, with midfielders Kyle Foote and Michael Ellsworth and attack Jamie Paradise each finishing with two goals. Greenwich struck first as Paradise received a pass from senior Kelley Jaye and snapped a shot past Staples goalie Cole Gendels just 49 seconds into the first quarter. The Wreckers evened the score with a man-up goal by midfielder Will Johnson at the 10:10 mark. With Greenwich running its settled offense, attack Luke Finneran scored off a feed from behind by John Tohir, making it 2-1 with 8:37 left in the first quarter.

Jessica Gallo, 19, of Battery Park Drive, Bridgeport, was charged early Saturday morning with driving under the influence on Greens Farms Road.

Despite serving as the "all-point-west" for many Metro-North Railroad commuters Monday morning, the scene at Westport's Saugatuck station appeared to running smoothly in the wake of the Friday train collision in Bridgeport that caused major disruption to the normal commuting schedule. Westport was the first station for "limited" rail service westward to New York City, while just to the east, all three Fairfield stations had no rail service at all, and buses filled the gap passengers taking trains running from New Haven to the temporary terminus in Bridgeport. Most commuters weren't complaining, despite minor confusion because New York-bound train were departing alternately from both passenger platforms of the Saugatuck depot. Buses bridged the service gap to Fairfield, taking riders back and forth on a continuous loop to Fairfield Center, Fairfield Metro and Bridgeport stations. Call said three police officers stayed on from the midnight shift to handle the anticipated crush at the train station, and an additional four were on hand to help at the station, along with department heads.