This Saturday the Girls’ Volleyball Team welcomed both its Deerfield opponents and many Andover parents and alumni to the Memorial Gym for its 10th win of the season. Andover put up a good show for all the spectators, winning all three sets with scores of 30-24, 30-9 and 30-12. On Wednesday, Andover defeated St. Paul’s, three games to one, with set scores of 30-27, 25-30, 30-18 and 30-18. The statistics certainly claim that the Andover team was performing. Jackie Price ’06 had 11 kills and made 19 out of 22 hits, and made all 22 of her serves, three of which were aces. Megan Winn ’05 assisted on 15 plays, and served four aces as well as 16 for 16 serves. Among the second string players, Parla Alpan ’06 had six kills and hit 11 out of 13 balls that came her way. Sarah Thomas ’06 had five kills and hit six out of six balls, and made three blocks as well. On Wednesday Andover traveled to St. Paul’s, a team that they had already played in the preseason. Although the Big Blue lost the scrimmage, the girls defeated St. Paul’s at this meeting due in large part to the team’s improved communication. During the first two games, Andover and St. Paul’s traded the lead back and forth, each team taking advantage of its own good play and its opponent’s mistakes. Cassie Tognoni ’05 served a streak at the end of the first game which captured Andover the game and the lead. Despite the 31 total unforced errors that the Andover girls committed in the first two games, they were able to change their offense around from a 6-2 to a 5-1, which turned out to tip the scales in their favor. The final two games were won by increased communication and a new level of team spirit from the Andover girls. In this match Captain Lauren Cantwell ’05 had 26 assists and three kills, with seven aces into the bargain. Captain Cassie Tognoni ’05 had 16 kills hitting from the outside and Price had 10 kills of her own. These three starters will be traveling to Concord on Sunday, November 7th to play in the All Star Tournament. Andover now stands 3rd in the league, with a record of 10-2. The top eight teams will travel to the Quarterfinals of the New England Championship two Wednesdays from now, and Andover will surely be one of them.
