From 25 yards out, Rolando Rabines ’19 slotted a lofted ball that curved into the bottom right corner to tally his first Andover career goal and push the lead to 4-0 against New Hampton this Wednesday. Andover went on to win 5-0, after a 3-1 loss on Saturday to Kimball Union Academy, putting its record at 10-3-2.
Leading the way with goals were Co-Captain Peder Bakken ’16, Alejandro Diaz ’16, Co-Captain Alex Dziadosz ’16, Co-Captain Brandon Girard ’16, and Rabines.
Andover dominated the field with confidence and composure, possessing the ball patiently until it created scoring opportunities. This speed and control accounted for much of its success.
Against Kimball Union, Bakken clinched Andover’s only goal early in the game to put the team ahead 1-0. Despite Andover’s ear;y offensive pressure, Kimball Union was able to come from behind with three goals to win the match.
The result of the game was largely dictated by which team could bring the most energy, while playing smart.
Bakken said, “We knew that this game was going to be a battle, as it was their last home game, so we focused on matching their intensity. We came out of the gates fast and dominated the other team in the early exchanges, but once we scored, our intensity dropped and the other team capitalized.”
Bobby Dall ’18 said, “We knew going into the game that it was going to be a tough one, seeing that it was their parent’s weekend. They had hundreds of fans surrounding the field, which gave them that extra edge that helped them secure a victory.”
During practice this week, Andover concentrated on pushing the tempo for the full 90 minutes of a match.
Post-Graduate (PG) Brad Schlosser ’16 said, “Defensively, we need to improve the way we respond after a defender gets beat and stop ball watching.”
He continued, “We also need to realize that once the playoffs begin, everything that happened in the regular season is irrelevant. Last year’s number one team lost in the first round. Anything can happen. For some of us PGs and Seniors, this is our last ever game, so we want to give everything we’ve got and win the playoffs.”
Andover will look to build upon its recent success as it faces Phillips Exeter Academy this Saturday in its last regular season game.
Bakken said, “Exeter is going to be another intense game, so we are concentrating on keeping our intensity up for the full 90 minutes.”
