10/19- Andover: 0, NMH: 6
On Saturday, Boys Soccer faced a tough 0-6 loss against Northfield Mount Hermon (NMH). Now, in the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Freelance League Andover stands at 15th and NMH sixth, respectively.
Alexander Mitarachi ’25 noted the shortcomings that led to Andover’s defeat. He outlined how the team struggled with communication and defense fell short, giving NMH leeway to score.
Mitarachi said, “Every mistake we made led to a goal. There were lapses in concentration, and the opponent punished us for them. Our defense was shaky clearing the ball, we definitely didn’t clear when we needed to. We also dribbled too much and then got into trouble when the attackers pressed.”
As the goalie, Co-Captain Jack Alexander ’25 touched on how external factors impacted the team’s gameplay, although not excusing their subpar play. In the 2023-2024 season, NMH and Andover had gone 0-0.
“Stuff like this happens, but it was a very disappointing result nonetheless. I know we were all feeling the fatigue from our season and schoolwork, but it doesn’t really excuse us. As one of the Captains, it’s our job to make sure that this doesn’t happen again. Also, as a goalkeeper, you can imagine my frustration. I have never let in this many goals in my Andover career,” said Alexander.
According to Everett Woo ’25, Andover faced field disadvantage against NMH, which disrupted the offensive side. Regardless, the players off the field, including the bench and subs, were a driving force of encouragement.
Woo said, “We found playing on a smaller field really hard just because our home field is really large and we are used to having time, but here we had no time on the ball. We did do our part when we were on the bench. We’re obviously disappointed, but at halftime, honestly, we just went into it [and] gave it our all. Our bench showed heart, and when the subs came in they didn’t bring the level down and they kept fighting.”
Despite a challenging match, Kai Myles ’27 and Edrian Vargas ’27 put forth a great work ethic and showcased passion, noted Alexander.
“Some players that really stood out to me included Kai Myles and Edrian Vargas. Kai never stopped working hard, despite the surprising heat, and played at an incredibly high intensity for an hour before he needed to get subbed out due to exhaustion. He is an incredibly driven player and never stops amazing me regarding his work ethic in game.
Alexander continued, “[Vargas] had a very different experience. Early on he struggled and made a few mistakes, it was clear that he was beating himself up over those mistakes. I was really impressed with how he came back in the second half and forgot his mistakes and played with quality for the remainder of the game, at one point making a needed goal-line clearance.”
Substitute players off the bench positively influenced as they stepped into new roles. Mitarachi applauded goalie Reese York ’26 who fiercely guarded the goal post.
“I would highlight Reese coming off the bench, goalkeeper, taking out Jack, and not letting in any goals when he was in. He did a great job communicating and staying in position and keeping the defense organized,” said Mitarachi.
Taking the game as a learning experience, Boys Soccer hopes to use that motivation for its upcoming games, noted Marc Nelson ’25.
Nelson said, “It was a really tough game for us, but after something like that, the only people you can rely on are your teammates. You have to lean on each other, and right now we are all supporting one another. I think we are more united than ever, and we are ready to give it our all in the next game.”
On the bus ride home, the team turned the disappointing results into a learning experience, making the game feel far from a 0-6 loss. Alexander noted his appreciation for the team culture built by the players and coaches. Head Coach Joe Donnely and Co-Captain Spencer Madge ’25 cheered up the team with humorous karaoke.
“NMH was a better team than us that day. But Coach Donnelly also wanted to cheer us up, this is an important moment during our season as well as our Fall Term. Nothing could beat him singing his music connected to the bus speaker so loud everyone could hear it. Then Spencer stepped up and did the same, singing ‘Ho Hey’ by The Lumineers, which sounds ridiculous without any background music. This is the team culture I love and I know as long as we have this we can bounce back,” said Alexander.
Boys Soccer will face Deerfield Academy at home this Saturday.
