Beth Krikorian ’17 set the tone for Andover Field Hockey’s game on Saturday by tipping the ball off a rebound into the goal to give Andover a 1-0 lead against its rival Exeter.
Andover went on to score twice more in the first half and again in the first minute of the second half. The result was a resounding 4-1 win that secured an undefeated regular season.
“I think that we had a strong mindset going into the game, knowing it was our last [regular season] game, and it would determine our attitude towards playoffs and the season in general,” said Hannah Burns ’15.
Andover came out firing once again. By the end of the first half, Andover had built a 3-0 lead.
“We were able to get a quick start by scoring very early into the game,” said Captain Eva Toffoloni ’15.
Anna Fucillo ’15 added, “We wanted to come out strong and that’s exactly what we did.”
Despite the high pressure situation of an Andover-Exeter game, the team played with its normal, quick pace of play.
“Our fast breaks and quick passing sequences really helped us during the game,” said Eva Toffoloni ’15.
After three years of ties and losses to Exeter, the ten Andover Seniors found solace in this memorable ending to their final Andover Field Hockey season.
“It was great to finish off my last fall Andover-Exeter with a big win. In four years it had always been a very close game with Exeter, and to finally push past them completely was a great feeling,” said Fucillo.
Burns said, “None of us [Seniors] have ever beaten Exeter, so it was a perfect ending for the Andover-Exeter rivalry in field hockey for many of us.”
Andover fell 3-0 to Loomis Chaffee in its first round of playoffs on Wednesday. It was the team’s first loss of the season.
Andover, despite coming in as the first seed in the tournament, could not find its form for most of the game.
Conversely, Loomis entered the game as the eighth seed and gave a strong performance on both sides of the field.
“Unfortunately, the pressure of entering playoffs as number-one seed got to us. We played tentatively, and Loomis jumped on that,” said Kelly McCarthy ’16.
Lauren Overly ’17 said, “It honestly just wasn’t our day. We played as a strong team, but today Loomis was just better.”
Loomis double- and triple-teamed Eva Toffoloni for the entirety of the game. Andover’s offense struggled to generate momentum without its leading scorer.
Despite the loss, Andover will not let one game define its 15-1-1 season.
“The big thing with this game was that we played our absolute hardest, but we never got any breaks. It’s been the best season. As harsh as this loss was, we can’t forget how incredibly unforgettable and special this season has been,” said Nikoletta Toffoloni ’15.
A vastly different squad will take the field next fall, hoping to continue the legacy of success that the Seniors leave behind.
