In the second to last game of her Andover career, Captain Caroline Garrity ’15 won the initial face-off and sprinted down the field, weaving through a web of defenders to fire the first shot of the game on the net. Andover’s opponent quickly moved the ball up the field, controlling the ball until Goalie Emma Kelley ’17 intercepted a pass. This initial sequence set the tone for what would be a fast-paced game against Brooks on Wednesday in which Andover would ultimately triumph 16-8.
“The first draw of the game, and the couple of possessions after it, were intense because we didn’t know if we were in for another tough game. We just didn’t know how things were going to play out,” said defender Tessa Peterson ’15.
Andover did not have a game over the weekend, so the players and coaches had time to smooth out some rough edges without worrying about fatigue affecting the team’s performance.
Andover had nine assists this game, a sharp improvement compared to its combined six assists in its previous two games.
Beth Krikorian ’17 continued to contribute offensively as one of the younger members on the team. She earned her second hat trick of the season and assisted her teammates twice.
Krikorian said, “Everyone was moving to the middle and trying to create space for each other really well. Eventually, enough space opened up for me to drive and take a good shot.”
Hannah Burns ’15 also had a hat trick and an assist, and Nora McNamara-Bordewick ’16 and Eliza Quigley ’15 each had two goals and an assist. Kelly McCarthy ’16 had one goal and one assist.
Garrity netted four goals and assisted once. Ashley Tucker ’18 had two assists and scored her second goal of the season.
Defensively, Andover forced eight turnovers, controlled seven ground balls and intercepted three passes.
Burns, Krikorian and Garrity collectively controlled 14 of the draws, which proved crucial to Andover’s stellar performance, opening up offensive opportunities and keeping Brooks away from Andover’s net.
“The Brooks game [was] so much fun. We came out flying in the first half and put four goals away earlier, which led them to take a timeout. The defense caused turnovers both in the defensive and midfield zones,” said Garrity. “We’re ready for Exeter. Exeter is the ultimate factor in how the season ends. It’s my last [Andover/Exeter] ever – very bittersweet.”
After a six game losing streak in the middle of the season, Andover tied both Milton Academy and Loomis-Chaffee School 11-11 last week. With the win this week against Brooks, the team’s record now stands 3-8-2, topping its season high for goals scored in a single game, which had previously been set in its game against Groton on April 18. The win against Brooks shows that Andover is recovering from the tough losses earlier in the season, as it looks to close the season on a high note.
Andover hopes to build off of the momentum and morale boost from the recent victory as it goes into battle against its rival, Exeter. Andover will face off against Exeter, who is 7-5-2 this season, at 5:30 today.