David Burt ’28 fights for the ball in tie game against Exeter
Boys Soccer (2-4-11) closed out its season away at Exeter, tying with a final score of 1-1, keeping the A/E scoreboards even. Leading Andover was Co-Captain Liam Vitti ’26, with an exciting set-piece goal to put Andover up 1-0 in the first half. Despite eventually letting up a goal and tying the match 1-1, Co-Captain Edrian Vargas ’27 led a disciplined defense that held Exeter scoreless for the majority of the game.
Over the course of the season, Andover has experimented with several formations, adjusting the team’s overall dynamics. The decision against Exeter to commit to an attack-heavy setup marked an aggressive shift in the team’s playing style. Vargas described this formation and the opportunities it created for the offense.
“We have a very high press formation. Defensively, we were keeping them at bay. The center-backs could dribble, but all they could do was play balls over the top. We have very strong center-backs who could win these headers out of the air. We were able to keep the ball from entering our box a lot. Attacking-wise, we had a striker and two wingers, as well as two wing-backs that could help go up and invert into the midfield. So, by doing that, we pressured their outside backs on the flanks and isolated them, allowing us to win throw-ins near the box for Matt Shampine [’26], as well as corner kicks and chances to put balls into the box,” said Vargas.
Vitti’s goal in the first half came from one of the set plays described by Vargas. Vitti recalled this specific goal, emphasizing the moment and its impact on the team dynamic and the spectator environment.
“It was a big goal. We originally put the ball in the box off a corner, and then some ricochets happened. The ball got put down to Ethan, and then he took a touch, and it fell to me. I remember seeing the ball, seeing an open corner, and I hit it. It was a great feeling to score. The crowd erupted afterwards, which was pretty cool, and everyone went crazy. It was the goal we needed,” said Vitti.
Despite only scoring one goal, the Andover offense had several opportunities throughout the game. Shampine shouts out Co-Captain Kai Myles ’27 as the centerpiece of this offense, shouting out an incredible pass from the game.
“I would really shout out Kai. You can never forget about Kai. He facilitated the offense for us, and he was all around the field, in the midfield, and at the forward position. I got four or five perfect passes from Kai on scoring chances, and he was what gave us a chance to win the game. Near the end of the game, with about five minutes left, there was a ball in the air, and without even looking at me, he said, ‘Matt, go.’ I started running, and he hit a volley right to where I was running, and it was right to me. That’s what he does. He’s an all-around great player and one of the keys to our success,” said Shampine.
On the defensive side of the game, Andover had success. This defense, led by Vargas, Michael Staii ’27, and Tyler Tran ’26, kept Exeter down for most of the game. Seeing this, Vitti praised the nonstop grit of the defense.
“We did a very good job staying organized defensively. Not conceding for the whole first half was really good, and then we did a good job playing out the full 90 minutes and giving it our all. Our defenders made several huge plays. They did not quit. There were so many clearances off the goal line. They blocked a lot of shots. They did so much great work. We were really locked in playing that full 90 minutes, and it was unfortunate we conceded, but we played a really good game,” said Vitti.
As a rivalry game, this contest at Exeter was played on a big stage in front of a large crowd. Vitti described the atmosphere and how the positive energy of the fans boosted the team’s play and hustle.
“It was really good to have the crowd behind us. It felt like we had a 12th man on the field, to be honest, and they drowned out all the Exeter fans. We could barely hear them. It was really great, especially when we went up and we scored. That really amped up the crowd. It only built up from there,” said Vitti.
As the 2025 season concludes, Boys Soccer has seen growth throughout the season and looks to return next year with renewed energy.
