Sports

Andover’s 7-0 Sweep Over Exeter Provides Momentum for Nationals

Andover Girls Squash had a tumultuous week, dropping a close 3-4 match to Milton Academy on Saturday before shutting out Exeter 7-0 on Wednesday.

Andover played a well-fought match against Milton on Saturday. With both teams having won three games, Andover dropped the tough deciding match 2-1.

Claire Kister ’16 had some great rallies against her opponent, but ultimately lost in a very close contest. Even though she didn’t come out on top, Captain Jessica Lee ’13 was optimistic about Kister’s future for the rest of this year and in years to come.

“Even though she lost, it was such a well-fought match,” said Lee. “I was so impressed by how much she improved this year, and how much drive she brought to every single point.”

“Not everyone was as focused as we would like them to be, but we still managed to keep [the match against Milton] close,” said Kister.

Kister also noted that Milton was similar to St. Paul’s, who the girls beat 4-3 in a closely-contested match. Considering the improvement that it showed this season, the team felt that beating Milton was a real possibility.

Andover’s progress throughout the season was made clear this past weekend, as Milton had taken Andover down earlier in the season during a scrimmage.

After losing such a close game, the girls focused on drilling during practice, rather than gameplay.

“I think mastering the rhythm helped me and my teammates in our match against Exeter,” said Lee.

Against Exeter, Andover was poised and ready for the rivalry match.

The team defeated Exeter 5-2 earlier in the season, and this time, with more experience under its belt, the team played one of its best matches of the year that ended with a final score of 7-0.

The win against Exeter provided some much-needed momentum for the team, especially since it is heading to the Interscholastic tournament (Interschols) this Saturday.

“We have a long weekend ahead of us, but I think our squash play, fitness and mental game are fully ready,” said Lee. “We will have the chance to re-play some of those girls we have lost to throughout the season, which I am certainly excited for.”

The team is in Division A, the best possible bracket, for the tournament. With some wins under its belt, the team has a good shot at going far in the tournament.

Andover has excelled at building on previous matches; the Milton loss will allow the team to learn, while the win against Exeter will give the team energy.

The team will not travel to Exeter on Saturday for the Andover-Exeter activities, as they will be competing at Interschols.