Rose O’Connor PG’20 previously played field hockey for Nobles.
According to Captain Carly Kreytak ’20, the team has improved its collaboration as the season has progressed. The team welcomed twelve new players to its roster this year and was able to successfully integrate them into the preexisting team.
“I think this season it’s taken us a little while to get into the groove of things, to start working as a unit. We’ve come to that point and we’re playing really well together, so I’m excited to just experience that again and to play with the people around me,” Kreytak said.
Head Coach Kate Dolan wrote in an email to The Phillipian., “The team has improved in its confidence, its communication, and its teamwork. The most significant and critical improvement has been in its belief in itself and realizing what it is capable of as a team.”
According to Kiera Suh ’22, the team has been working on its offense heading into the game.
Suh said, “I think some things that we’ve been focusing on a lot the past few weeks is our footwork, especially on the left side of the field because that’s our weaker side. So moving our feet to have the ball come down on our strong side so we can create more plays, both on the sidelines and towards the center of the circle, offensive plays. Also just keeping possession, really taking care of the ball, so that when we do have the ball we can really maximize our chances in the circle.”
With two straight victories, including one against a top-seeded Nobles team, Andover hopes to maintain its momentum at Exeter, according to Molly MacQueen ’21.
“Coming out with the win is super important for us. I think continuing to build on what we’ve found in ourselves the past two games is really important, and also just embracing the day and embracing the spirit of A/E weekend,” said MacQueen.
Suh added, “I think we’re all just really excited to have a strong ending to this season. I think the past two games, especially, we’ve kind of found our chemistry on the field. We’ve always had it off the field, but we’ve really been able to connect our passes and get a lot more shots off in the circle, so I think we’ll be able to have a really strong game against Exeter.”
According to Dolan, the team hopes to take advantage of the Andover/Exeter rivalry and perform at its best.
Dolan wrote in an email to The Phillipian, “We want the team to compete fiercely, support one another relentlessly, and appreciate and relish the opportunity to be part of this incredibly special rivalry.”
