Saturday, Boys Soccer started off the season with a strong 2-0 win over St. Paul’s school with two goals from Ethan Hirshberg ’09. Coming into the game, Andover looked to contain St. Pauls’ dangerous forwards while looking to take advantage of its midfield and defense. Andover came into the game well-conditioned and prepared to start the season strong. Hirshberg opened the Andover scoring with his first goal in an Andover uniform 35 minutes into the first half. Hirshberg received the ball at the top of the 18-yard box. With four players around him, he dribbled the ball and found an opening to shoot. His shot found the back of the net, giving Andover a 1-0 lead. Hishberg’s second goal came on the counter-attack. He received a pass in the midfield and streaked down the field toward the goal. He fired a shot across the goal to the far post, giving Andover a strong 2-0 lead. Goalkeeper Spencer Macquarrie ’10 held the Andover lead, giving Andover a 2-0 opening season win. It was also his first clean-sheet as a varsity goalkeeper. With the win, Andover avenged last year’s early season loss that cost the team a tournament spot. Wednesday, Andover dominated the flow of the game and scored two early goals, beating Brooks 4-1. Andover had a very balanced attack with four different goal scorers. After feeling out the Brooks defense for the beginning of the first half, Andover stormed onto the scoreboard. Adam Skaggs ’09 received the ball along the right sideline. He fired a low cross into the 18-yard box and found Alex Choi ’09 streaking in on the far post. Choi fired a shot into the back of the net for first goal of the game. Soon after, Andover struck again. Tebs Maqubela ’11 handled the ball in a scrum on the outside of the 18-yard box. He then fired a pass to Matt Gorski ’09 in front of the net at the 6-yard line. Gorski fired a left-footed shot under the crossbar, giving Andover a 2-0 lead. The first half ended after some back and forth chances for both sides. Andover missed a header just high off of a corner. On the counter-attack from an ensuing corner, a Brooks forward received a pass in space, but missed just wide. The game headed into the half 2-0. Andover extended its lead halfway through the second half. Hirshberg received a low pass in front of the net. He buried it on the ground in the center of the net, giving Andover a 3-0 lead. Garnet Hathaway ’10 finished the Andover scoring, giving Andover a 4-0 lead. In the 82nd minute, Brooks erased the clean sheet. The game ended with a 4-1 Andover victory. With a 2-0 start, Andover is in great position for a strong season. Said Hathaway, “It’s the first time since I’ve been here that we’ve started the season off 2-0. It’s a great start.” Andover’s new players are also coming together as a unit. “We’re coming together as a team. We’re playing well together as a unit,” Hathaway continued. Saturday, Andover will head to its first away game against a very strong Loomis team.
