Andrei Dumitrescu ’18 weaved through his defender and slotted a pass to Roberto Rabines ’16 who crossed it back to Dumitrescu. Dumitrescu buried the ball in the back of the net to even the game at 1-1. Despite a deficit at the start of the game, Andover Boys Soccer rallied back to a 4-1 victory, sealing its undefeated record at 3-0.
After Loomis’s goal, Andover responded with relentless offense and shut-down defense. Co-Captain Brandon Girard ’16 lead the attack, taking several long shots.
Once Dumitrescu tied the game, Andover came together with a new sense of aggression and energy. Andover’s playing speed put Loomis on its heels and exposed its vulnerabilities.
Co-Captain Alex Dziadosz ’16 said, “This was certainly the best game that our back line has had so far. They were positioned well, and we were never beat over the top. Our center midfield was dominant on offense and we had great play on the wings.”
Displaying its abilities in the air, Andover proceeded to net two header goals from Henry Meyerrose ’17 and Post-Graduate (PG) Brad Schlosser ’16. Girard then shot a bullet past the Loomis goalkeeper from outside the 18-yard-box, giving Andover a three-goal lead only 20 minutes after Loomis scored the first goal.
“Once we went ahead, it was a matter of staying ahead. We knew Loomis was not going to die,” said Dziadosz. “At halftime, we discussed staying sharp and energized. We knew that no lead was safe against such a talented opponent.”
In the second half, Loomis made an effort to retaliate and came out with a renewed spirit, but Andover matched its energy and held their lead.
Andover’s comeback win was largely credited to its upperclassmen leadership. The Seniors took control of the game, setting the tone both vocally and physically.
Rabines said, “[As a Senior], I feel a lot more accountability for the team’s performance. Just look at the way we battled back against Loomis. Even after they scored, we had the belief that we were going to come back and get a result.”
Andover was scheduled to play Holderness this Wednesday, but inclement weather caused the game to be cancelled. The team will travel to Taft this Saturday with hopes of maintaining its winning streak.
