The undefeated start for the Woodstock Academy girls’ soccer team continued last week although the Centaurs didn’t win every match they played.
North Branford turned out to be a formidable foe Oct. 6.
The Centaurs (6-0-2) traveled to the Connecticut shoreline and brought back the second tie of the season with them. The Centaurs and the Thunderbirds playing to a 1-1 tie.
No overtime was played.
Ivy Gelhaus scored her 10th goal of the season nine minutes into the second half when she intercepted a pass deep in North Branford territory and one-touched it home.
That would be all the scoring the match would see until just 2 minutes, 23 seconds remained.
Lexi Rosado knotted up the game for North Branford (4-0-4) on a direct kick and the match ended in the tie.
The Centaurs outshot the Thunderbirds, 16-10.
The shot category was much more one-sided in the Centaurs Homecoming match under the lights on The Academy’s South Campus Oct. 3.
The Centaurs posted a 3-0 win over a banged up St. Paul Catholic squad, getting 30 shots at the Falcons net while the Woodstock Academy keepers could have done their homework instead of watching the match.
St. Paul Catholic failed to get a shot off in the match.
“Their goalkeeper (Hannah Duffany) kept them in it in the first half and gave them a good chance to stay with us. We had plenty of chances and a lot of possession. We made a few adjustments at the half and the second half we had a higher quality (of shots) in the second half,” said Woodstock Academy coach Dennis Snelling.
The Centaurs didn’t take long to score.
Senior Ashleigh Angle put the Centaurs ahead to stay just 1:18 into the match.
“I don’t even remember it, because I was so caught up in the moment. I was just running in, looking for the split in the defenders and I got my left foot on it and hoped that it would go over the goalie,” Angle said.
Gelhaus had another very good chance to score late in the first half when she sent a ball to the opposite corner that eluded Duffany (11 saves).
But freshman defender Samantha Naples saved the Falcons from a two-goal deficit at halftime by kicking the ball out at the last second.
“If we got that second goal of the first half, it might have opened up more, but that was a great save by the defender,” Snelling said.
The 1-0 lead held until Angle made it 2-0 just 3:18 into the second half, taking a pass from Ivy Gelhaus and putting it into the net for her fourth goal of the season.
There was almost a fifth.
Angle got her head on a ball midway through the second half.
“It hit the post right on the centimeter,” Angle said.
It bounced wide.
That’s how close the senior was to a hat trick.
“I really wanted that third goal, but it was close,” she added.
“Ashley brings sheer athleticism, hard work and dedication to the team. She is the ideal student-athlete, absolutely dominates the 50-50 balls and keeps the ball going at (the opponent’s goal). It’s nice to see her score,” Snelling said.
The Centaurs play their final two home games of the season this week before going on the road for the last five matches of the season.
“That will be about being tough mentally and be ready for those home games. They are at night, against difficult opponents. We know, but we’re taking it one game at a time. We have no control over the schedule,” Snelling said.
The Centaurs played at East Lyme on Tuesday and come home to play Norwich Free Academy at 4 p.m. Oct. 11 and Old Lyme at 11 a.m. Oct. 13.
After that, the Centaurs go on the road to play Fitch, Bacon Academy, NFA, Valley Regional and Killingly.
Marc Allard
Sports Information Director
The Woodstock Academy

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