Guided by an impressive nine-save performance by goalie Katelyn Foley ’07, the Andover Girls Lacrosse team defeated Groton 9-5. Andover followed Friday’s win by crushing Northfield Mount Hermon on Wednesday. The game marked the fifth straight victory for Andover and improved the team’s record to 5-1. After several cancellations, Andover finally held its home opener on Friday against Groton. Andover aimed to take control of the game early as the team had in its previous game—a win over St. Paul’s. Groton managed to put the first point on the board when the offense capitalized on a point blank shot inside the circle. Andover quickly responded; Captain Carolyn Pollard ’07 scored her 14th goal of the season. Captain Pollard’s goal occurred on an eight meter shot after a great passing sequence by Andover led to a Groton penalty near the net. After continued solid play by the Andover and Groton defenses, both teams traded goals late in the half. Several key saves by Foley allowed Andover to go into the half in front 3-2. As Andover came back on the field at the halftime break, the girls knew they needed a complete effort throughout the final 25 minutes to win. Andover found its offensive touch and pulled away from Groton. Great passes set up both Alissa Fromkin ’09 and Emily Little ’09 in front of the net; each tallied several goals throughout the game to extend Andover’s lead. As the clock wound down, the Andover defense limited Groton’s offense by intercepting passes and winning the ground balls. Kit Harris ’07 and Karen Schoenherr ’07 backboned the defense and forced turnovers throughout the game. When the final whistle sounded, Andover left the field feeling satisfied with its well-earned 9-5 win over Groton. Little led the way on offense, recording three goals and an assist, though the effort on attack was balanced. Eight other Andover players added points on the day. Foley’s effort in the net was particularly important for Andover; she made several spectacular saves during the game. After several close-scoring games, Andover overpowered a struggling N.M.H team 18-6. Transitional passing among mid-fielders flowed deftly as the girls switched fields and kept the ball away from pressure. After focusing on new settled-offense strategies in previous practices, the balanced Andover attack seemed to click around the eight-meter. Great ball movement and shots by Pollard, Little and Fromkin helped Andover pull away in the first half. The Andover defense also controlled N.M.H’s attack players during their few offensive chances through forcing several turnovers with tight mid-field pressure. N.M.H. refused to give up despite falling significantly behind and continued to look for scoring opportunities, including a few successful fast breaks. However, Andover’s team poise and skill proved to be too much for N.M.H. to handle. As the game progressed and the score-gap widened, Andover controlled possession of the ball. On Saturday, Andover hopes to continue its winning streak against Taft School.
