Although Co-Captain James McGuinness ’08 and Brian Watson ’08 were back on the court after taking some time off to heal injuries, Andover was unable to defeat its opponent Choate Rosemary Hall on Saturday. The first game was a promising one, with impeccable serving, as Co-Captain Alex Svec ’08 served Andover into a 5-0 lead. Andover came out the victor with a final score of 30 – 21. Games two through four proved to be tougher, as the Choate team became more confident and began to deliver more skillful attacks. During these games, Andover experienced a change of pace, as the team committed about 12 net violations and 18 service blunders. Game three was infinitely more exciting in that the score was tied 15 times, with six lead changes. Andover did have some spectacular plays on both offense and defense, but its successes were balanced by its shortcomings in communication. Coach Clyfe Beckwith acknowledged that Andover could have won the game if it hadn’t been for these mistakes: “It was all serving and blocking mistakes that gave Choate the points.” While neither side gained a significant advantage over the other throughout the course of the game, Choate emerged the victor of the day, winning games two through four. This Tuesday, Andover hosted the St. John’s Prep for a scrimmage. Andover’s improved hitting in this game was far superior to their opponents’. The Eagles were no match for Andover’s more skillful defense and well-placed attacks. Andover easily dominated St. John’s, winning three consecutive games with scores of 30-16, 30-21, and 30-16, respectively.
