Propelled by an 18-point scoring effort by Kourtney Diperno ’09, Andover Girls Varsity Basketball beat Deerfield for its third consecutive win. Later in the week, Andover broke the streak in a tough game versus Nobles, suffering the fourth loss of the season. Andover, in pursuit of its seventh win, took on Deerfield at home on Saturday. The two teams met earlier in the season—a game in which Andover came out on top, 43-27. From the opening tip, Andover took control of the court, getting hold of an early lead and preserving it through the first half. In the second half, the team remained strong and poised. Megan Robertson ’11, was a force on the boards with nine rebounds on the day, setting a pace for Andover on defense. Meanwhile, on the offensive side of the ball, Captain Kelly Fox ’08 increased the Andover lead in the second half by sinking three three-point shots. From that point forward it was clear that the Big Blue was running away with a win, prevailing over the Big Green by a score of 56-39. Diperno was the high scorer with an incredible 18 points, while Ansley White ’10 and Captain Fox added 12 and 11 points, respectively. Captain Fox said, “We played really well. In the past, [Deerfield’s] point guard has been able to excel against us, but we were able to play tough defense and prohibit her from scoring or getting too many assists.” In an attempt to increase the wining streak to four games, Andover faced the historically competitive Nobles squad. With Nobles’ third-place seed just above Andover’s fourth-seed placement, this was a pivotal game for both teams. From the first whistle, Nobles took control of the game, quickly leaving Andover with a considerable deficit. Andover knew that it would have to come out strong in the second half to make up the difference. In the last few minutes of play, Andover cut back Nobles’ lead to single digits, but it was not enough. Nobles pulled ahead even farther in the final plays of the game, ensuring the win and handing Andover its fourth loss of the season. A definite bright spot fromt he contest was the notable play from Hailee Minor ’08. She recorded 13 points while hauling in seven boards. Captain Fox said,“We knew this was a tough game going into it, and we recognized the importance of it. “They were a beatable team, but they were tough competition as always.” This loss brings the team’s record to 7-4. With hopes of rebounding, Andover prepares to host Worcester Academy on Saturday. The league’s top seed, Worcester presents a certain challenge for Andover. It has already beaten Nobles, proving the team’s sure strength and ability. The team will work hard in practice to improve its chances against the powerhouse team. Captain Fox said, “This will be another challenging game for the team. We will have to play hard and stay strong the entire time, and if we do that I think we can absolutely come out on top. Either way, it should be a good game.” As Andover looks ahead to this match up, it is also looking a little bit farther into the future, towards the possibility of a playoff berth. With its current record, Andover has a distinct possibility of post-season play. But there are many stops along the road before that. Andover hopes to improve its game as the season progresses. “The Worcester game is a big one,” said Captain Fox, “and we will see from there.” Captain Fox continued, “The game on Wednesday proves that we can compete with anyone but we have a lot of work cut out for ourselves to be able to beat the elite in our coming games against Worcester and Brooks.”
