Woodstock Academy junior guard Alexa Pechie had three points going into the final 1 minute, 35 seconds of the Centaurs girls’ basketball contest with Ledyard. She finished with 12.
“She was clutch,” said Woodstock Academy coach Will Fleeton.
Pechie helped the Centaurs claw back from a seven-point deficit to score a 45-42 win over the Colonels.
It was the first win of the season for Woodstock Academy (3-10) on its home floor this season.
“It means the world,” Pechie said. “We were on a long (eight out of 10 games) road streak so it just felt really nice to get a win at home.”
It didn’t look like that would be the case. Ledyard (2-10) went on a seven-point run, spurred on by three points each from Monet Augmon and Claire Inyang to go up, 40-33.
The Centaurs had not had a basket in over 6 ½ minutes.
But then Pechie stepped well behind the 3-point line and buried it to cut the lead almost in half.
After a Ledyard turnover, Kayla Gaudreau, who had 10 of her 12 points in the second half, cut the Colonels’ lead to two, 40-38.
Another Ledyard turnover and an ensuing foul produced two free throws for Pechie who sank them both to tie the game.
The Centaurs then benefitted from a third consecutive Ledyard turnover and Hallie Saracina found Pechie open in the lane with a nice bounce pass.
The basket gave the Centaurs a two-point lead with 26 seconds to play.
The fourth straight turnover meant Ledyard was forced to foul again and Saracina made 1-of-2 from the line to give Woodstock Academy a three-point lead with 12 seconds remaining.
Samantha Money brought it back to one with a pair of free throws for Ledyard with seven seconds on the clock before Pechie sealed the win with two more from the charity stripe with five seconds left.
The win was certainly a good one for the Centaurs.
Despite the lack of victories thus far, Pechie said the team has maintained a positive outlook. They are missing two starters.
Aurissa Boardman is out with a broken finger and Peyton Saracina has also been sidelined. It means players like Pechie have to deliver.
“I feel like I have had to step up a lot. It’s tough for Peyton because we lost her last year, too, to the same thing, a concussion. Me, Kayla and Hallie have grouped together and have worked really well,” Pechie said.
The week began on a difficult note as the Centaurs had to face East Lyme senior Sophie Dubreuil. She delivered for the Vikings, scoring half of their points, in a 54-38 win over the Centaurs.
Gaudreau was tasked with guarding Dubreuil and, according to Fleeton, did a nice job against her as well as getting points of her own. Gaudreau finished with 15 points, all coming on 3-pointers, and with the two she hit against Ledyard, now has 16 3-pointers this season.
Katie Papp added 12 and Pechie seven in the loss for the Centaurs.
“If you look at the wins and losses and if that was the only reason why we’re here, it would be a tough season. I look for five or six key things for my players to do year in and year out and if we play hard and defend, I’m happy. Everybody wants to win or we wouldn’t be playing the game and that’s our goal every night but it hasn’t been a tough season because the kids are bringing it,” Fleeton said.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information, The Woodstock Academy

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