Last Friday marked the return of goalkeeper and Co-Captain Alex Farrell ‘10, and she rejuvenated the Andover defense in a 2-0 shutout victory over Lawrence Academy. After a slow start to the game, Amanda Brisco ’10 nailed an unassisted shot in the bottom corner of the net just minutes before halftime to give Andover a lead going into halftime. Lawrence was unable to offset Andover’s aggressive offense, and in the second half, Piper Curtis ’13 scored with an assisting pass from Ambika Krishnamachar ’11. “It was her first goal of the season, and it was amazing considering that she is a defender,” Krishnamachar said of Curtis. Thanks to a tough defense and skillful passing by the offense, Andover maintained possession of the ball for the majority of the game. This was Andover’s last home game, and an important one for the senior players as they played their final minutes on Andover turf. The coaches let everyone play, and Andover took home a victory of 2-0. Traveling to the Pingree School on Saturday, Andover expected nothing less than a tough match from the 10-1 team. It was an intense game in which Andover could only muster one goal past the strong Pingree defense. Halfway through the second half, Julia Rafferty ’10 scored the only goal of the game off a pass from Krishnamachar. “Pingree had a lot of skill. They were very organized as a team as well,” said Krishnamachar. Andover did not let Pingree’s aggressive playing intimidate the team, however. Andover’s defense was quick to shut down any attacks and the players kept up the intensity, despite having played against Lawrence Academy the night before. With aggressive playing from both teams, the game produced three early injuries in the first half. Fortunately, Andover has a deep team and had plenty of strong substitute players. Andover travelled to Holderness School on Wednesday, seeking a convincing win to help boost the team’s position in its bid for the playoffs. Brisco fired two goals in the first half, giving the team early momentum. Elizabeth Gilbert ’10 sealed Andover’s 3-0 victory with a header into the net in the second half. This Saturday, Andover will face Exeter in its final regular season game. A victory will increase Andover’s chances of earning a spot in the playoffs, as the team’s record stands at 7-1-7. Having three solid consecutive wins and great momentum, the team has no doubt that it will put up a strong fight against Exeter. The team has a better record than Exeter, along with a strong and deep lineup. Andover now looks to maintain its composure and play the skillful and controlled soccer that it has been demonstrating all season. “After tying my first two A-E games and winning last year, I have motivation to continue the streak and help bring my team to a win in my last Andover-Exeter,” said Farrell.
