With a great fast break feed on a line from Jack Walker ’09 to a cutting Dan Evans `08, Andover Boys Lacrosse recorded its first goal of the 2008 season, as Evans picked off the bottom right corner of the goal with a bounce shot. Unfortunately, this was the only goal in the second quarter of what would eventually become a 7-1 loss for Andover to Belmont Hill. The starting whistle blew with Evans ’08 taking the draw against a very talented Belmont Hill face-off man. A quick scrum in the middle of the field turned in Belmont’s favor as they recovered the ball and sent Andover’s defense into a six minute battle for possession. Although Belmont Hill gave up the ball, Andover had a lot of trouble clearing its zone throughout this stretch of time, and Belmont Hill ended their possession with a score from one of their midfielders. The second half of the first quarter fared much better for Andover as they gained a lengthy possession, creating many chances but unable to find the back of the net. In the second quarter, Andover finally broke the ice when Evans scored a goal off of a well placed bounce shot. Belmont Hill struck back with two goals of its own in the second quarter, while the Andover offense struggled to hit the net. The whistle signaling half time blew with Belmont Hill ahead by two goals with a score of 3-1. A frustrating first half for Andover’s offense turned into a frustrating game as the offense continued to create many scoring chances but still couldn’t finish the play. While Andover’s defense worked extremely hard to prevent Belmont Hill from scoring, lengthy offensive possessions and an extremely talented midfielder gave Belmont Hill the goals they needed to beat Andover. The game ended with Belmont Hill on top by the score of 7-1. “The score is no indication of the level of talent both teams had. Overall, we played a solid game. We made some mistakes defensively, and we couldn’t find the back of the net offensively. As long as we improve from here, we will have a great season,” reflected Co-Captain John Bukawyn `08. Goalie Spencer Rice `09 had a great game, recording 12 saves on the day. Many of these saves were up close on the crease and crucial to keeping Andover in the game. Luke Duprey `10 also played very well in today’s match. Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Andover has many challenges waiting for them. The biggest challenge will be the team’s lack of experience. Graduating 15 Seniors, seven of which were talented starters, left many open spots on the field for Andover. Returning to the field in the starting line-up are Jack Walker at attack and Co-Captains Bukawyn and Nick Anschuetz`08 at midfield and defense, respectively. With a lack of a superstar player on Andover, the team will also need to find a way to translate its depth into offense. Andover’s schedule will also prove to be challenging. With tough games such as Deerfield, Choate, and Loomis in the near future, Andover will have its work cut out.
