Propelled by the rebounding efforts of Megan Robertson ’11, the Andover Girls Varsity basketball team secured a thrilling come- from-behind victory over Milton. On the heels of their victory, Andover held on in the final minutes for a victory against Thayer. On Saturday, Andover traveled to Milton for the first time this season. Milton possessed the better record going into the game, as they stood at 5-1, while Andover held a 4-3 record. Milton came onto the court motivated from the opening whistle and quickly took the lead at the start of the game. Milton preserved its lead throughout the half and held an 11-point lead at the midway point of the first half. However, Andover exhibited persistence and discipline in the second half, emerging with renewed energy and aggression. During the comeback, Robertson showcased her talents. At the 12-minute mark, Robertson grabbed a rebound off the boards and passed the ball to Ansley White ’10. White then nailed the shot to Andover the edge, 24-22. Andover refused to surrender its lead for the remainder of the game, prevailing by a score of 43-35. Kourtney Diperno ’09 recorded 12 points, while Missy Wingard ’09 and White each added 10. Captain Kelly Fox ’08 helped seal the victory at the line in the final minutes of the second half, diminishing any hopes Milton might have had for a comeback. Coming off this victory, Andover hosted Thayer on Wednesday. Andover anticipated another competitive game, as Thayer has proven themselves to be a formidable opponent in the league this year. Andover came out with intensity at the start of the game and led by double digits through much of the first half. However, Thayer refused to give up and by half time they had cut Andover’s lead to single digits. Thayer started the second half with a new game plan. Thayer applied pressure in the backcourt and its press slowed down the Andover offense. Thayer caught up on the scoreboard and played right alongside Andover for the rest of the game. However, Andover continued to push the ball up court past the pressure defense. At the final buzzer, Andover held the lead, 55-52. With this victory, Andover improved its record to 6-3. Andover takes on Deerfield at home Saturday with hopes of capturing their seventh victory.
