The Andover Girls Basketball team plans to increase the intensity in its play in the upcoming weeks in hopes of gaining a postseason birth. Despite its 6-9 record, Andover could secure a spot in the playoffs if it wins the remaining four games of the season. Andover lost 29-35 this past Friday to Suffield Academy. The game went back and forth from beginning to end, with Andover leading by two points at the half. The game was tied with a minute and twelve seconds left when Suffield scored a three-pointer. Suffield then added three foul shots to win by six. Kelly Fox ’08 and Emily Zinsmeister ’08 had strong defensive games for Andover, the leading scorer was Kirsten Macdonald ‘’07 with nine points. Despite the latest loss to Suffield Academy, Andover still remains optimistic about its possible postseason birth. Andover faces off against Northfield Mount Hermon School this Friday and then plays against Governor’s Academy on Thursday. The final game will be against Exeter on Andover/Exeter day, February 24. Looking back at the season, Andover’s record does not reflect its level of play. Andover suffered many close losses that could have gone either way. The Girls Basketball team started out this season strong with a 40-17 win against Brewster Academy in December. Andover followed up with two close losses to Choate, with Missy Wingard ’09, Sarah Beattie ’07, and Kelly Fox ’08 all scoring in the first game and Wingard, Hollis, Kelly, Becca Zinsmeister ’08, and Stuart Anderson ’07 all scored in the second game. Andover then faced off against a perennially strong Tabor squad. Although Andover played tough, it could not match the strength of Tabor and lost 23-55. Andover came back from the rough loss with a win 55-41 against Milton Academy. Kristen Macdonald ’07 led Andover scorers with 15 points, and Fox added 11. Andover proved that one hard loss could not affect its performance. Andover then suffered a heartbreaking loss in a defensive standoff against Thayer, losing 45-48 after two overtime periods. In the last seconds of regulation, Thayer tied the score 34-34 and then went on to lead by a point in the first overtime. Andover played tough, but it could not overcome its loss of three key players due to fouls and lost the game. The following game again came down to the closing seconds, with Andover narrowly defeating Deerfield Academy 41-39. The teams battled back and forth the entire game, with the game tied at 37 with a minute left on the clock. Macdonald, who scored 21 points, pulled Andover ahead with a three-pointer during this last minute. The following week Andover lost to Noble and Greenough Academy 27-43. This game was followed by a 63-42 win against its cross-town rival, the Brooks School. Fox led Andover scorers with 17 points. In a tight contest, Andover defeated rival Phillips Exeter Academy 52-47 due to its consistent free-throw shooting.
