Andover Girls Soccer got off to a strong start in its season opener, defeating Milton 3-1.
Hannah Guzzi ’14 scored the first goal on a breakaway, assisted by Jessica Vocaturo ’13, a post-graduate and newcomer to the team. Guzzi’s shot whizzed by the Milton keeper and into the upper left corner.
“Guzzi’s shot was perfect,” said Diana Tchadi ’14. “She placed it perfectly and hit it with pace, a really tough thing to pull off. She played great.”
After Milton scored a quick equalizer goal off a free kick, Andover retook the lead on a strike by Alex Thomas ’15, assisted by Giovanna Pickering ’13, another post-graduate.
The final goal came from Nekele McCall ’14, who, after taking a corner kick, followed her pass and scored off a rebound.
“Nekele’s goal was also very impressive,” said Tchadi. “She made a really heads up play and got rewarded because of it. She played well all day and deserved to score.”
Andover’s opening win seems to herald another successful season. After losing just one regular season game a year ago, the team looks to build on its exceptional play, and with a stellar mix of new and returning talent, the upcoming season seems promising.
Anchored by Co-Captains Emily Hoyt ’13 and Piper Curtis ’13, the team will be a juggernaut this season after returning its core group of players.
The season consists of 18 regular season games, culminating in a rivalry matchup at home on November 10th against Exeter.
“A game that we are definitely looking forward to is a few weeks into the season when we play Loomis Chaffee [on September 22],” said McCall. “Last year, we lost to them in overtime in the playoffs to cap off an overall great season. The game is away, and we’d love to get some revenge on their home field.”
McCall continued, “Another game that we are marking on the schedule is against Rivers [this Friday]. Last year, they were our only loss in the regular season, and our team didn’t play nearly as well as it could have. We are looking forward to having another shot at them.”
The team is excited and expecting big things this year. The vast majority of its players have at least one year of experience heading into this season, and Andover has its sights set high for the upcoming year.
“The team is looking great. We’ve got a huge number of returning players, which bodes really well for us,” said Katie Kreider ’14. “Guzzi and McCall are each two-year players [who] have looked great in the preseason. Our defense is anchored by Diana [Tchadi], another two-year veteran [who’s] played extremely well so far.
Kreider added, “But our new players will help try take our team to the next level. PG’s Giovanna [Pickering] and Jessica [Vocaturo] will make great additions to the team and have blended really well with all the returners.”
Andover travels to play Rivers this Saturday.
