The Andover offense dominated the first half with four goals, as the Andover Field Hockey team defeated NMH 4-0. Just 1:03 into the game, Lauren Jackson ’07 passed to Meg Shea ’07 and Shea beat the goalie to put Andover ahead 1-0. Only six minutes later, Andover made good on its first corner of the game as Kristen Macdonald ’07 scored off the corner to give Andover a 2-0 lead. Later in the first half, Meg Shea ’07 passed ahead to Jamie Harisiades ’08 on a fast break, who beat the NMH goalie and put Andover ahead 3-0. Avery Stone ’10 passed to Julia Watson ’07, who scored Andover’s fourth goal to cap off an explosive first half and send Andover into halftime with a commanding 4-0 lead. In the second half, the Andover defense continued to shut down the NMH offense. NMH was held scoreless in the second half, as Andover earned its fourth shutout of the year. Captain Anne Boylan ’07 said, “The passing was perfect. It all fell into place.” The game was one of Andover’s best all-around performances of the season and improved the team’s record to 7-1-2 on the season. On Wednesday, Andover traveled to Concord, NH and tied a 6-2 St. Paul’s Field Hockey team 1-1 in a very even game. Both teams headed into the game with similar records, and during the first part of the game, momentum swung in both directions. Andover dominated the first ten minutes, but St. Paul’s came back and started to take control of the game. St. Paul’s scored first at 21:36 in the first half, and Andover had problems getting the ball out of its defensive end. Eventually, Andover was able to work the ball out of its defensive zone, and with 5:24 left in the first half, Andover forced a penalty stroke. Lauren Jackson ’07 calmly stepped to the line and fired a shot, beating the St. Paul’s goalie and tying the game 1-1. It was Jackson’s third stroke of the year, and she has converted on all three strokes this year. The game headed into halftime still tied 1-1. Andover completely dominated the second half, earning eight corners, while St. Paul’s was only able to earn one. Despite its numerous chances, Andover was unable to convert these opportunities into goals. The score stayed at 1-1, and Andover and St. Paul’s headed into overtime. During overtime, St. Paul’s had the edge in shots, but neither team was able to break the tie. Andover goalie Ale Moss ’07 made nine saves in the game. Captain Anne Boylan ’07 said, “We had a lot of chances. There was a lot of hustle.” Unfortunately, Andover was unable to break the tie and win its eighth game of the year. After the tie, Andover’s record stands at 7-1-3 heading into Parents’ Weekend where the Blue will face a 6-3-1 Deerfield team. Both Andover and Deerfield have similar records, and this game will almost certainly prove a tough test for Andover.
