Goalkeeper Antonia Tammaro ’17 has been an integral part of Andover Girls Soccer’s success this season, dictating the flow of the game from behind the defensive line.
Tammaro, an Upper from Lynnfield, Mass., has a natural affinity for her position.
Teammate Natalia Suarez ’17 said, “[Tammaro] is probably one of the best goalkeepers I have ever played with or seen at our level of play. Her reflexes are out of this world. She’s a great presence behind us on defense because we know she’s there. Even as a goalkeeper, she is one of the most technical players on our team.”
The rest of the team has confidence in Tammaro’s abilities and relies on her strong leadership from in goal.
Tookie Wilson ’18 said, “[Tammaro] has really awesome vision, and she really opens up our style of play. She’s also very technical, so it’s easy to pass the ball back and know she can handle it well.”
On the field, Tammaro brings an infectious energy and constantly motivates her teammates to play their hardest. Her emotional impact on the field is unrivaled, and her upbeat energy constantly improves the team dynamic.
In an email to The Phillipian, Avery Westerfield ’18 wrote, “She’s a really amazing goalkeeper. She’s also such an inspirational team leader and is super dedicated.”
Tammaro’s passion for the game is a large reason she performs at such a high level. The team greatly benefits from her leadership and guidance and appreciates her work ethic and positive attitude.
Cassie Chin ’17 said, “[Tammaro] is our rock – she keeps us in tight games, and we can always rely on her to come up with big saves. Everyone’s really comfortable with her behind us, and her confidence in net gives us a spark throughout the rest of the field. Whenever she makes a big save, everyone gets really energized, and we play better as a team.”
While goalkeeper is a physically demanding position, it also requires unparalleled mental concentration and skill – an area where Tammaro shines.
“Goalie is a very mental position. You are expected to be perfect. My other teammates get to mess up all the time during the game, but I have to put on a show for the entire 80 minutes. So goalie allows for me to show my competitive side and my will to win by being mentally, tactically and technically smart,” said Tammaro.
A critical part of Tammaro’s success as a goalkeeper comes from her strong bond with all of her teammates.
“We’re all very good friends off the field, so playing with them on the field makes it easier and makes my will to win for the team even greater,” said Tammaro.
While Tammaro has led an impressive career at Andover, she looks back at one game in particular most fondly.
“My most memorable moment was the game against Choate [my Junior] year under the lights on Smoyer. They were undefeated and had let zero goals in until we beat them 1-0,” she said.
Tammaro has consistently proven herself on the field and looks forward to her two remaining seasons at Andover. Throughout this season, Andover will rely on Tammaro’s athletic skill and her ability to command the field from the back with authority and energy.
Krystiana Swain ’18 said, “Having a good goalie makes all the difference on a team. [Tammaro] makes that difference.”
