The girls’ soccer team certainly knows how to spread the wealth.

Brynn Kusnarowis and Emma Redfield scored their first-career varsity goals in a 2-0 win over Killingly Oct. 4.

The Centaurs (8-2, 5-1 Eastern Connecticut Conference Division II) now have 10 different goal scorers in the first 10 matches.

Kusnarowis is just a freshman while Redfield is a sophomore who didn’t play last year.

For Kusnarowis, her first career goal came in an unusual fashion.

Olivia Perry normally takes the free kicks, but coach Dennis Snelling with 12 minutes, 17 seconds left in the first half told Kusnarowis to give it a shot.

It was hardly a threat.

The ball was 42 yards from the net and Kusnarowis was just trying to get the ball to Ivy Gelhaus on the play. But the ball sailed over the head of the Woodstock Academy forward, bouncing right in front of Killingly keeper Sarah Azizi and then, over her head to the back of the net.

Kusnarowis said the goal wasn’t due to any strategy especially since the turf is not something the Centaurs get on often.

“Our team doesn’t really get to practice too often on the turf, it’s not necessarily a disadvantage, because we love playing on it,” she said.

Snelling said his decision to have Kusnarowis take the free kick was because “she can crush the ball.” Whether the freshman knew it or not, she also sent it in the right direction.

“Put the ball in the penalty box, opposite post, there is a better chance it lands in the right spot. It landed in the right spot,” Snelling said.

It was one of the few shots by Woodstock that did. 

The Centaurs took 25 shots at the Killingly net.

“It’s definitely something that our team needs to work on,” Kusnarowis said of the inability to finish. “We’re great on connecting those passes. We have to work on finishing.”

The only other goal came with just 4:24 left when an Ashleigh Angle shot was knocked away but the rebound came out to Redfield who scored from just inside the penalty area.

Still, Snelling said the ball has to go in the net more.

“Eventually, you’re going to outshoot someone 25-1 and you’re going to lose. We had a game where we outshot the other team, 18-3, and lost. I’m not worried about it, but it’s something we have to get better at,” Snelling said.

Woodstock Academy 1

Waterford 0

A Kennedy Davignon corner was the deciding factor for the second time in three matches.

Davignon’s corner to Ashleigh Angle provided an overtime victory over NFA just a week before and on Oct. 6, the senior delivered again.

Her ball found the foot of sophomore Emma Redfield - who scored for the second consecutive match – with 13 minutes left to give the Centaurs a 1-0 win over Waterford.

Woodstock outshot the Lancers, 25-8, and took 11 corners to just one for the Lancers (4-7, 1-6 Eastern Connecticut Conference Division II).

Irene Askitis made six saves for the Centaurs.

The win kept Woodstock (9-2) even with Bacon Academy for first place in Division II. Both teams sport 6-1 records.

Volleyball

Woodstock 3

Windham 0

Caroline Eaton had five kills to lead the Centaurs (9-3) to their sixth straight win, 3—0 over Windham, in Willimantic  Oct. 4.

Natalie Low added three kills as Woodstock posted wins of 25-7, 25-19, 25-12 over the Whippets (2-8).

Field Hockey

Enfield 6

Woodstock Academy 0

The Centaurs traveled to take on undefeated Enfield, currently the No. 1 tanked team in Class L, and suffered the shutout defeat.

Hannah Reynolds had seven defensive saves for the Centaurs (3-5), Rachel Roberts added six saves in the cage.

Kaitlyn Bourque and Tori Geaglone each had two goals and an assist for Enfield (8-0).

Woodstock 0

Fitch-Ledyard 2

Olivia Stanikmas made 11 saves for Woodstock Academy (3-4, 3-4 Eastern Connecticut Conference) but two got by and the Centaurs fell to the Fitch/Ledyard cooperative Oct. 5. The Centaurs mustered only eight shots against the Falcons (5-5, 4-4). Hannah Reynolds had eight defensive saves for Woodstock.

Volleyball

Woodstock 3

Ledyard 0

Newcomer Paula Hernandez had 19 kills and Sammie Orlowski added 32 assists to lead the Centaurs (10-3) to their seventh straight win, 3-0, over Ledyard Oct. 6. Woodstock posted victories of 25-15, 25-13 and 25-8. Natalie Low added 12 kills.

Cross Country

Woodstock 18

Stonington 43

Woodstock assistant coach Joe Banas, prior to the only home meet of the season for the Centaurs’ girls’ cross-country team Oct. 3, was already thinking about next week’s meet with Stonington.

Head coach John Ywarsky reminded Banas that the Centaurs first had to get past Waterford. Banas’ confidence was well-founded.

The Centaurs downed the Lancers 18-43 to raise their record to 4-0 in Division II of the Eastern Connecticut Conference and set up a meeting with the Bears Oct. 3.

“That is going to be a fight,” Ywarsky said of the Stonington meet. “They have one of the best teams and a couple of the top runners in the conference. Lily Anderson is fantastic, she will be in the running for the ECC championship in a couple of weeks and it’s going to be at their place and that always makes it tough.”

The Centaurs (6-0 overall) were pretty tough against the Lancers. They also scored victories over Windham and Plainfield which could not field full teams.

Freshman Stella DiPippo led the way, finishing first in 21 minutes, 52 seconds.

“We always try to take care of the freshmen because we know going from middle school to high school, it’s a lot more miles,” Ywarsky said. “She put in over 270 miles over the summer. She was ready to go.”

Ywarsky limited the freshman a bit in September, but let her have at it on the Stonebridge Road course.

DiPippo knew it wasn’t going to be easy, she was right.

“I was really tired, but I just kept pushing,” DiPippo said.

Senior teammate Hannah Matsas finished second in 23:06.

“She’s awesome. I’m so proud of her,” Matsas said of her young teammate. “I always knew she was going to be fast, but I didn’t realize how fast. She is insane. I’m excited to see what she will do this year.”

Iris Bazinet (24:04) placed fourth and Emily McClure (24:19) was fifth.

Marc Allard

Sports Information Director

 

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