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Dribbles
Woodstock Academy senior Julia Powell dribbles the ball downfield against Waterford. She scored the only goal for the Centaurs in a 1-1 tie with the Lancers. Photo by Marc Allard.
Playing through
growing pains
It’s never easy to lose an entire starting unit. That generally means growing pains the following year. It’s what the Woodstock Academy field hockey team is playing through this fall.
The Centaurs are off to a 0-2-1 start (0-1-1 in the ECC) but showed progress in their third outing of the season, a 1-1 overtime tie with Waterford.
“We would have loved to have squeaked a few more (goals) in there, but we controlled the ball well and there was a lot better communication. They are growing by leaps and bounds every game which is all you can hope for with such a young team,” said coach Lauren Gagnon.
The Centaurs started with a 6-2 loss to East Catholic and then struggled against perennial ECC power, Stonington, losing 8-0.
Julie Powell was instrumental in the effort against the Lancers.
She found herself in the midst of a group of players in front of the Waterford net with 10 minutes left in the second quarter. Abby Converse took a shot at the cage that was deflected on to the stick of freshman Grace Pokorny. She re-directed it to Powell who scored her first goal of the season.
But the chances gradually went away for the Centaurs who took only three shots in the second half.
The Powell goal stood up until just 2 ½ minutes were left in regulation play.
The Lancers got their first corner call and it would not be the last corner. The Lancers were given two more corner opportunities with time expired in regulation.
“I had confidence in my defense and (goalie) Ava (Basak) but that last-minute corner and (Waterford) got a second one because time had expired is definitely nerve-wracking,” Gagnon said. Fortunately for the Centaurs, Basak was up to the task.
The Lancers made it a little more intense by taking four shots at the Centaurs cage including a very dangerous opportunity by Sophie Hathaway that was just kicked away by Basak (seven saves).
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
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