Down 1-0 against Dexter Southfield, Elizabeth Welch ’18 passed to linemate Charlotte Welch ’18, who scored to move Andover Girls Hockey into a 1-1 tie. Heading into the second period in a tie, Andover saw two goals from Lilly Feeney ’20 and one by Meghan Ward ’19 to beat Southfield 4-1. In its next game, Andover defeated Northfield Mount Hermon (NMH) 5-1 to improve its record to 3-0.
Against Southfield, Andover had many shots on goal, smart puck movement, and quick plays. Although Southfield scored early in the first period, Andover was able to bounce back with a goal from Charlotte Welch.
In an email to The Phillipian, Ashley Tucker ’18 wrote, “We started off with some good pressure but Southfield scored early, which can be hard to come back from, but we maintained pressure and things started going our way. We had a lot of zone time in the first and second periods but we weren’t really able to finish a lot of our chances, so the score stayed close.”
Andover dominated possession during the second and third periods and had an abundance of offensive chances. Ward and Feeney’s goals brought Andover to a 3-1 lead at the end of the second period. Later in the third, Feeney slipped in a fourth goal for Andover to seal off its second win of the season.
Anna Maniaci ’19 said, “It was definitely a more solid game than our first game of the season. We knew each other a little more and [Head Coach Martha Fenton] changed the lineup once again to see how each player would work together to find the best fit for each player. The forwards crashed the net really well which allowed us to get more goals and make the goalie nervous. The defense did a good job of keeping Southfield’s forwards wide so their shots weren’t great, making it easier on our goalie.”
On Saturday, Andover added another win to its record with a 5-1 victory over NMH.
Starting off the game with high energy, Charlotte Welch scored early in the first period. The team maintained control of the contest throughout all three periods, passing quickly and wisely while generating a multitude of scoring opportunities.
Captain Kaitlin Hoang ’17 said, “The team connected passes very well, and knew where each other were on the ice. Despite having spent such a short time together, we seem to all be in sync already which is really exciting this early in the season.”
Andover’s ability to skillfully maneuver around NMH’s defensive line created plays that set up two more goals from Charlotte Welch and Maniaci to end the second period with a 3-0 lead.
Although NMH managed to sneak a goal into the back of Andover’s net during the third period, Andover bounced back, capping off the game with goals from Feeney and Maddy Silveira ’20.
In an email to The Phillipian, Coach Fenton wrote, “The team is playing to their strengths right now – they are moving the puck well and playing with speed. We have some really great depth this year and it is allowing us to go hard for three periods, which has definitely helped us in these first three games.”
“I have really high hopes for this season. As a team, we also came to the conclusion that we are all grateful for how respectful we treat each other. I truly appreciate the support and atmosphere this team has, it really is wonderful and I feel that it allows all of us to work together efficiently,” said Maniaci.
Andover will head to Taft on Wednesday night for the annual Patsy K. Odden Tournament in hopes of extending its undefeated streak.
