Week 2: Centaurs get first win of the season

The Woodstock Academy boys soccer team got its first win of the season Friday.

But it wasn't easy.

The Centaurs escaped with a 1-0 victory over Fitch at the Bentley Athletic Complex.

“We needed this,” Woodstock Academy coach Paul Rearden said. “We’ve been playing well, but we have not received the just rewards. We played really, really well against Fitch in the first half. We didn’t do everything we needed to do in the second half but the first half was probably the best we’ve played all season.”

The win raised the Centaurs record to 1-2-1 overall and 1-1 in Division I of the Eastern Connecticut Conference. 

Austin Byer scored his second goal of the season 21 minutes into the first half off an assist from John Bennett.

Bennett brought the ball down the right side and made a nice cross to Byer who was coming in at the far post from the six-yard box and Bennett’s pass made it easy for Byer to convert.

Byer is slowly becoming the offensive threat that Rearden expects.

“We saw signs of it last year as a freshman. He and John are really showing what I hoped they would show. Austin is a nightmare to play against because he’s quick and tricky but is strong as well,” Rearden said.

Bennett has become a nice complementary player as he now has three assists on the season.

“Having Garret (Bushey) in with him gives him that license to go a bit more forward and he’s growing in confidence and experience,” Rearden said of Bennett.  

Earlier in the week, it was Byer who had the nice assist to a teammate.

Unfortunately, it came in a 2-1 loss to Waterford at the Bentley Athletic Complex.

The sophomore forward delivered a beautiful tip to Jeff Phongsa to tie the early week match in the second half at 1.

Unfortunately, the Centaurs could not deliver the tie breaker.

Instead, it was the Lancers (3-0) who answered when Evan Piotrowski sent in a free kick from beyond midfield on to the foot of senior Donovan Bousquet who sent home what proved to be the game-winning goal with 15 minutes, 38 seconds to play.

Matias Arcelus had the only tally of the first half on a penalty kick after a handball call against Woodstock Academy.