With five players committed to D1 schools, including Boston College, Brown and others, the currently ranked eighth in the New England Prep Nobles and Greenough squad proved to be a very tough test for Andover, handing the team a decisive 7-3 loss. Besides sending the visitors home with a harsh loss, the home team supported the Massachusetts Soldier legacy Fund, which provides full scholarship money for students whose parents have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Peter Trovato, who played forward for Central Memorial, Deerfield Academy and UMass-Amherst, founded the organization. There was a ceremonial puck-drop for both the boys’ game against Andover, and the girls’ latest game against Exeter. The boys started off the period strong, with an early goal from Thomas Shannon ’12, who received the puck from Seamus O’Neill ’13. Andover Before time ran out in the first, the home squad was able to find an equalizer. With the home crowd behind them, the Nobles stars took over and began to dominate the game, scoring 1:32 into the period. Andover fell into a five goal deficit in he second period. Putting the second period behind them, the boys were able to get back on their feet and net two of their own but not before Nobles was able to add another. TJ Hickey ’11 found the back of the net off a pass from Andrew Sullivan ’11. Two minutes later, Ellis scored his fourth goal of the season to make it 7-3, but there was simply not enough time left for a comeback. After the game O’Neill said, “I thought we played a good game for the most part, it was just the lapse in the second period where they found their opportunities and capitalized.” In their second game of the week, they took on a good Winchendon squad and put up an honorable performance in an overtime loss. After an equally played first period, the Andover boys were ready to take control of the game. Not a minute in, Hickey scored on a two vs. one, on a pass from Ellis. With two minutes remaining, the home side was able to equalize, but were not able to gain any momentum over the resiliant Andover squad. With neither side able to score, the game went to sudden-death overtime. Three minutes into the overtime period, a careless giveaway in the defensive third was turned into the game winner for Winchendon. Even though it was a great showing from all of the offensive lines, the real star of the game was Tyler Kirsch ’12. The game was Kirsch’s first start since the preseason Flood Mar game against Hotchkiss, and he came through clutch, stopping 44 of the 45 shots on goal in regulation, and 5 of the 6 shots in OT. “We played well as a team, but the bounces just didn’t go our way. It was a tough loss but we’ll get it back.” Kirsch said after the game. The boys now prepare for a tough battle against Loomis-Chaffee this Saturday at home.
