Boys Soccer Fall Sports Sports

One Win and One Draw Leave Boys Hungry for Exeter

Co-Captain Josh Murphy ’15 found John Sandor ’17 with a pinpoint cross 20 minutes into Andover Boys Soccer’s game against New Hampton last Wednesday. Standing at the top of the box, Sandor controlled the ball with a touch from his chest and caught it with his foot, volleying it into the back of the net to give Andover its second goal in its 8-1 win.

Later in the game, Co-Captain Dylan Mott ’15 put away two goals of his own, which tied him with the school record of 47 goals during his four-year Andover Boys Soccer career. He will have the chance to break the record against Exeter.

Two of the six players who scored in the game — Darian Bhathena ’16 and Morgan Cutts ’18 — claimed the first goals of their Andover careers.

“[Co­-Captain] Josh Murphy ’15 and the defense kept the game under control in the back and allowed us to build our momentum early,” said Brandon Girard ’16.

Nicolas Swenson ’15 wrote in an email to The Phillipian, “We were able to dictate the tempo for the entire game. Our dominance in possession led to us creating lots of chances, and we were able to capitalize on them. For us, this game was all about getting ready for Saturday, and it’s great that everyone got a chance to play before such a big game [against Exeter].”

Girard added, “Everyone got to play, and we played great as a team collectively, which is vital going into the Exeter game this weekend.”

Last Saturday, Andover faced off against a strong Kimball Union Academy (KUA) team. The final result was a scoreless draw, as neither team could find gaps in the other’s defense.

KUA’s physical style of play often disrupted Andover’s offensive momentum, but the team still had many scoring opportunities. Some stellar saves from the opposing goalie prevented Andover from claiming a victory.

“We controlled the play and on multiple occasions came close to putting one away,” wrote Sandor in an email to The Phillipian.

The weather conditions were windy, cold and rainy. In the second half, Andover played into the wind, which hindered the team’s ability to move the ball up the field and limited the reach of punts from Andover goalie Calvin Griffin ’15.

“It was a battle. Considering the conditions, I thought we did pretty well. We adapted to the turf and played our game. We just couldn’t capitalize in the final third,” wrote Bobby Dall ’18 in an email to The Phillipian.

Despite the obstacles that the weather created and the physicality of KUA, Andover played high quality soccer, moving the ball around on the ground and connecting passes in all parts of the field.

“We played very well and with a lot of spirit. That’s what determines games like the one we played,” said Sandor.

These two strong performances will boost the team’s confidence before Saturday, when Andover hosts Exeter to continue its historic rivalry with a potential playoff spot on the line.