Andover beat a weak NMH team 1-0 on Saturday, and then traveled to Concord, New Hampshire on Wednesday to squeak out a 2-1 win over an exceptional St. Paul’s team. Early into its game against NMH, Andover could tell that its opponent’ was nowhere near as skilled or powerful as the Lady Blue herself, but Andover was not able to take advantage of Northfield’s weaknesses. The first half was punctuated by disorganization and sloppy play. Andover’s forwards were so flustered and uptight that they were unable to put the ball into Northfield’s net despite numerous chances. In the second half Erica Christensen ’05 scored the game-winning goal with just under six minutes remaining in the game. Jamie Harisiades ’08 tallied an assist on the play. Goaltender Ale Moss ’07 was unchallenged by the Hoggers, and her one-save shutout guaranteed Andover’s victory. Keeping the ball away from its defensive zone, Andover’s Arielle Filliberti ’07, Alyssa Hill ’06, and Annie Boylan ’06 also played remarkably. After the game Caroline Moore ’07 said, “Our level of play didn’t reach its full potential, but it was a good win. We are excited about our upcoming games.” Andover started slowly against St. Paul’s as well, dropping to a one-goal deficit only five minutes into the game. The unexpected blow was dealt when a long diagonal pass in Andover’s defensive zone ricocheted off one of the Big Blue’s own players and bounced into the goal. The Andover defense was extremely flat and disorganized, and was fortunate to only give up a single goal. Determined to pick up their hustle, Andover came out after the break with all cylinders firing. As Co-Captain Kelly Stecker ’05 said “We rallied in the second half and used the width of the field to get it up to their offensive zone. We soon were able to execute on corners and score some much needed goals.” Backed by Stecker’s fantastic play and ability to control of every loose ball on the field, Andover dominated the possession battle. With just five minutes left in the game, Carolyn Pollard ’07 took advantage of a scoring opportunity and tied the game 1-1. The game ended in a 2-1 win for Andover. Said Moss, “We had a shaky start, but in the end we got our act together and finished in tremendous fashion”.
