Leah Humes ’12 and Megan Robertson ’11 combined for 24 points on Saturday to lead Andover to a formidable 38-24 victory against a hostile crowd at Exeter. After the win, however, Andover faced a much tougher team in New Hampton in their first playoff game, and suffered a devastating 47-33 loss. Andover controlled the Exeter game from the opening tip-off, jumping out to a 13-5 lead behind Robertson’s scoring and aggressive defense that prevented Exeter from scoring any easy baskets. In the second half, Andover stretched its lead even further, allowing every player to play a few minutes in the win. Post-graduate Ashleigh Vargas ’11, Alexis Walker ’12, and freshman Colby Fagan ’14 rounded out the scoring for Andover with six, two, and two points respectively. “The game played really slowly,” said Alex Kiss-Rusk ’12. “It felt like it was dragging on forever, but I’m proud of my team for staying focused through the whole game and coming out with a big W.” On Wednesday, Andover traveled to New Hampton as the seventh seed out of eight in the playoffs, looking to avenge a tough loss earlier in the season. Andover played with high intensity, defending and rebounding superbly. Humes and Walker racked up several steals while Robertson dominated the glass. Kiss-Rusk, Vargas, and Robertson led the scoring charge for Andover. The combination of strong offense and aggressive defense kept the game close, as the team ended the first half down 21-19. Andover emerged in the second half with the same intensity, but several three-pointers from New Hampton and many missed shots from Andover gave the opponents a solid lead. Foul trouble from Kiss-Rusk slowed any comeback from Andover, as the team struggled to grab rebounds without her in the game. Despite Andover’s efforts, the team couldn’t emerge victorious. “Today against New Hampton was one of our best games of the season,” said Kiss-Rusk, enthusiastic about her team’s play despite the loss. “We stayed tough the whole game, but our shots just stopped going in the second half. Other than that, our effort was unreal and individually everyone gave it their all. Even though it didn’t end the way we thought, I’d say we’re all leaving this season on a high note.” The New Hampton game completed a great season for Andover, as Leah Humes ’12 said, “Overall, we had quite a successful season. We improved tremendously as a team – enabling us to qualify for playoffs. Despite the early loss in the tournament, we ended on a good note – playing tough the entire game.” Finishing with a record of 12-8, and losing four games by five points or less, Andover exceeded all expectations. Andover looks ahead to next year, as nine of their twelve players will return, including the dynamic duo of Kiss-Rusk and Humes.
