The Andover Girls Varsity Lacrosse team knows how to turn its level of play up a notch and make a comeback. Last week the Lady Blue secured two strong wins against Groton and Pinkerton. After battling with late-game ties and deficits, the squad came back to beat Groton 14-5 and Pinkerton 9-6. Last Saturday’s game against Groton was a chance for PA to see some of its challenging competition. As Coach Kate Dolan summed up, “Andover came out sluggish while Groton came out aggressive.” It was a good opportunity for Coach Dolan to rotate in her starting line as the girls played their first home game of the season. In the beginning of the game, with the score tied at 2-2, it was clear that the girls needed to pick up their energy. At the end of the second half the girls went to work and scored four consecutive goals to bring the halftime score to 6-2. In the second half, the girls showed off their true might. With a notably good offense and a equally solid midline to support them, the girls were able to score eight more goals in the second half while only giving up three. The leading scorers for the game were Captain Barbara Badman ’03 and Kelly Stecker ’05, scoring five and three goals, respectively. Anne Riordan ’03 helped out the Lady Blue scoring two and assisting one. Cortney Tetrault ’03, Danielle Vardaro ’03, Kinnon McCall ’04 and Whitney Kelly ’04 all scored one goal each. Both Julie Wadland ’06 and Kathleen Minahan ’03 played strong in goal and kept Groton from making any comeback of their own. Maintaining power between the offense and the goal was the midfield, playing particularly well against Groton. Supporting the offense in their delayed attack against Groton’s goal were Sarah Demers ’03, Jeanne LeSaffre ’03, Nyssa Liebermann ’03, Meg Coffin ’03, Laurel Sticklor ’05, Kat Dix ’05, and Lizzie Demers ’05. The players were aware of their successes as a team. Riordan summed it up, saying, “Everything we practiced seemed to come together, and the team just really meshed. It was a really successful win.” The girls continued their success in their game against the Pinkerton Astros last Wednesday. The win, which brings the team’s season record to a perfect 3-0, was just what the girls needed to start off their season with a bang. A full ten minutes passed before Andover could get the ball past the Astro goalie and by the end of the half Pinkerton established a 4-3 lead. With the girls trailing by just one goal, they knew what they had to do. Despite an early Pinkerton goal, making the score 5-3, the girls worked hard to tie the game up at 5-5. In the last 12 minutes, Andover outscored its opponent 4-1, earning PA a 9-6 victory. Badman scored a whopping seven goals for the team while Stecker put the munchkin in the mesh twice. Demers ’03 contributed to the comeback with a helpful assist. Julie Wadland continued to show talent and potential as she made seven saves for the Lady Blue. Badman, while pleased with the winning streak, is aware of the needed improvement. “The game today was definitely an eye opener,” she said. “Although we won, it showed us a lot of things that we need to work on. We can settle a lot faster on the offense. In terms of attack, we need to look for the open player because they’re constantly double teaming us. Our defense has been really solid; that’s what’s been winning our games. Also, our goalie is doing really well in her first season. Granted were winning, but we still have a lot of things to work on.” Stecker agreed with Badman, “It was good to get out there and get some playing time as a team. Let’s just say this game wasn’t one of our bests, but now can get back on the field and work hard on improving our play.”
