It was a week of victory and defeat for the Andover Girls Varsity Waterpolo, as last Saturday they lost their first game against Loomis with a score of 18-3 but came back to win their second game against NMH with a score of 12-3. On Wednesday, the girls suffered an 8-6 loss to Williston Northhampton. With a number of girls on the injured list, including high-scorer Parla Alpan ’06, the girls still managed to play well. Newcomer Katherine Uhl ’06 had a successful day in goal and made some incredible saves. According to teammate Kelly Chang ’07, “Katherine really pulled through for us, and without her we would have lost that second game.” Alex Doty ’05 and Emily Brenner ’06 were responsible for scoring in the NMH game. Said Brenner, “It was a great game, and it was really exciting. The energy level was amazing and we proved our real potential when we came through for the win.” This Wednesday, Williston Northhampton came to Andover’s pool to challenge the Lady Blue. This time however, Andover’s injured list had continued to grow, with Parla Alpan ’06, goalie Katherine Uhl ’06, and Liz Slaughter ’06 all spending the game on the pool deck. The lack of girls did not stop the team from scoring, but Williston was too much for the struggling Andover team, and the game ended with Andover down a close 8-6. Making up for Uhl’s absence, Susannah Gund ’04 was back in goal and made a number of fantastic saves. Laura Benca ’05 tore through the water, becoming responsible for a majority of the team’s goals. Kristina Chang ’04 scored as well, as did Emily Brenner ’06. “Brenner’s goal was awesome,” said K.Chang ’07, “I was really impressed. Emily [Brenner]’s first season is going fantastically. She’s a really strong player and a true asset to the team’s success.” The defensive half of the team played well also, with Carly Villareal ’07 making some great blocks, and Amy Lippe ’04 continuously swimming the ball up the pool. Throughout the three games they girls played last week, they lost two and won one. Even though there were some disappointing moments, the girls are generally pleased with the performance of the team as a whole. Said Captain Kate Page ’04, “We’re playing well, maybe not as well as we could be, but we’re playing well. We still have some things to work on, and some improvements to make, but I think if we keep working hard and keep our heads up, everything will work out.” Coach Elizabeth Meyer also feels that the team will continue to improve as they continue to practice hard. She said of the week, “We know we have a few things to work out, and we know that the team is not perfect yet, but we’re all willing to work hard and stay focused to bring this season this a fabulous close.” The girls have three more games left in their regular season. The girls are excited and ready to show their skill and potential in their up-coming contests. Their one remaining home game is against Exeter, where the girls will be sure to show what they are made of on their home turf.
