Time has run out and the game is tied 1-1 against Brooks; Andover has one last chance to score with an extended corner. Kelly Walsh ’11 passes the ball to Eliza Flynn ’10, who at the top of the circle fires a shot to score and win the game. Last Thursday, Andover Field Hockey had a heated and important game against its cross-town rival Brooks. After years of Brooks dominating these games, Andover triumphed 2-1. Andover scored early in the first half with a tip in by Summer Washburn ’11. Brooks, however, rallied back with a quick goal off a corner just a few minutes later. Brooks and Andover were evenly matched. “The game was pretty much back and forth, but we stayed composed and our communication was strong, which is the main reason we came out with a win,” said Co-Captain Kaitlyn McInnis ’09. In the second half of the game Andover’s defense stepped up, not allowing Brooks to score another goal. Andover’s offense showed how its aggressive nature could pay off. The game ended with four consecutive extended corners for Andover. Kyleigh Keating ’10 took a free hit into the circle with three seconds on the clock to get PA its first corner. Brooks showed strong defense, and Andover was unable to score until the fourth and final attempt, which won the game. “Rarely do you see a game end on an extended corner… credit to all the players who demonstrated great poise and composure in the waning moments of the game,” Coach Kate Dolan said. After Flynn’s goal, the girls formed a massive dog pile in the center of the field, ecstatic over their win. On Saturday, Andover faced off against Tabor, another tough opponent, at home. Tabor, however, was not the teams’ only opponent; the girls were also battling against torrential downpours. Thanks to a high quality turf field, both teams were able to continue on with only small changes in the game. Goalie Shannon McSweeney ’11 said that to overcome the weather she focused on what Coach Dolan said in a huddle before the game “foul weather is nothing to a great team; it really pushed us to play our best with the hopes of proving ourselves.” Once again Andover succeeded with a 2-0 win. The girls started off slow in the first half. Once Mariana Walsh ‘11 scored a minute into the second half, the team began to play more confidently. Unlike the Brooks game, which for both teams had a total of 24 corners, the Tabor game only had 1 corner. This week against St. Marks, Andover continued its winning streak with a 3-2 victory. Neither team scored in the first half, so going into the second the stakes were high. McInnis scored the first goal with an assist from Keating. Keating had a free hit into the circle which McInnis slapped in passed the goalie. St. Mark’s responded with a quick goal, tying the game at 1-1. Andover continued strong, kept intensity up and went on to score two unanswered goals. Keating scored Andover’s second goal of the game during a corner; she received a quick pass from Flynn. McInnis scored the third goal on a breakaway to net, which gave the team a more comfortable lead.
