On Andover/Exeter weekend, Andover Field Hockey rallied after being down 2-1 as Eliza Quigley ’15 tallied a goal in the last 11 minutes in the game to tie Exeter 2-2.
Despite this tie, Andover was ranked eighth in the league and was able to advance to the playoffs.
Katerina Toffoloni ’15 scored the first goal of the game midway through the first half but Exeter was able to tie the game just before halftime.
Exeter carried the momentum into the second half and scored again to take a 2-1 lead, but Quigley tied the game with only 11 minutes left.
Andover was able to excel against Exeter despite the fact that many of the members of the team were injured.
Ashlyn Aiello ’14 said, “Right off the bat, one of our best shooters got injured, but what really impressed me was the stubborn mentality which allowed us to put the past behind us and make do with the present situation.”
The team maintaned compusure and played hard for the durationof the game.
“There are always unexpected obstacles to tackle, but if anything it is these hardships which define us. The coaches always say we backed ourselves against a wall, and I like to think that it was this wall [that] supported us and allowed us to push off of it with greater strength than if we had never lost and never known how to view defeat as a tool for success,” Aiello continued.
Andover took on Hotchkiss in the first round of the playoffs on Wednesday. Although Andover scored early on in the game, Hotchkiss ultimately won the game 2-1.
The goal scored by Eliza Quigley ’15 was only the second goal that Hotchkiss has allowed all season.
Nikoleta Toffoloni ’15 said, “We started out with momentum as we scored first. They were a good team, but so are we and we stuck with them the entire game. Unfortunately, the end result does not mirror our effort out there for that game and for the entire season. I am truly honored to have played for a team where talent didn’t even matter, it was our hard work, drive and heart, and that to me is a win.”
Although the season concluded with a loss, Mehlman is optimistic about next year.
She said, “The team has improved an amazing amount throughout the season. As a young team, I think it took us a while to figure out how to work together to win games, and I think our wins toward the end of the season have been a testament to how far we have come since September.”
