Minutes after the opening whistle, Co-Captain Rosie Raymond-Sidel ’08 drove the ball into the goal, sparking Andover’s momentum that ultimately propelled the team to a 2-0 victory over St. Paul’s. After its narrow 1-2 loss to Nobles on Saturday, the St. Paul’s game proved that Andover is still a contender in the league. Heading into Saturday’s game, the girls knew that Nobles would provide one of the team’s toughest challenges of the season; Andover elevated its level of play and made adjustments to the lineup. With five players in the midfield instead of the conventional three, the team aimed to maintain possession of the ball while driving up-field, and aimed to force turnovers when Nobles attempted offensive transitions. The strategy paid off, as Andover dominated play in the center of the field. After a closely-played first half, Eliza Nguyen ’09 scored a beautiful goal off a crossed ball to tie the game 1-1. The goal instilled confidence in the Andover players and inspired them to continue their valiant effort in the remainder of the game. Andover continued to match Nobles’ stellar play throughout the second half. A questionable call late in the game handed Nobles a penalty kick, which the shooter converted for the win. Rebounding from a hard-fought loss, Andover’s perseverance crystallized in a 2-0 win over St. Paul’s on Wednesday. Andover’s advantage in talent immediately became apparent. A mere three minutes into the game, Captain Raymond-Sidel scored on a free kick, boosting Andover to an early lead. Jade-Isis Lefebvre ’08 extended the team’s lead, cutting a ball with her right foot into the net midway through the first half. Despite the two-goal lead, the girls agreed at the halftime meeting that they were not playing to their potential. At the break, Andover ran onto the field with renewed vigor, rising above St. Paul’s level of play. For the entirety of the game, the solid defense prohibited St. Paul’s from encroaching upon the lead, protecting Andover’s two-goal advantage until the final whistle. Despite the shutout win, Andover felt frustrated over its performance. Co-Captain Jenna Castellot ’08 commented, “If we want to compete and excel in the New England Tournament, we need to pick up our level of play. As we demonstrated against Nobles, we have the ability to play high quality soccer, but we need to tighten up our game by eliminating minute mistakes.” Teammate Catherine Coppinger ’09 agreed when she said, “We didn’t play as well as we could have—as well as we have—but we got the win, which is what we were aiming for.” Tonight will provide Andover with a chance to prove its skill when taking the field against a strong N.M.H. team under the lights. The game begins at 7:00.
