After receiving a pass outside the 18-yard box, Cassie Chin ’17 pivoted to strike a perfectly placed shot into the net, giving Andover a 5-0 lead at home against Thayer on Wednesday. Andover went on to record a 6-0 victory in the pouring rain, as it eleveated its record to 7-3-3. The previous Saturday, Andover clinched a 5-1 victory against Northfield Mount Hermon (NMH) in front of a cheering Family Weekend crowd.
Andover’s offense had an exceptional performance against Thayer, as Chin netted a hat trick and Sarah Humes ’16 notched two goals. Humes has now scored seven goals in six games.
Co-Captain Caroline Shipley ’16 said, “This whole season [Chin has] been an incredible front runner. Today she did just that and was able to capitalize and get us three goals, which was awesome. It’s so great to see her playing so strong after two seasons out with an injury.”
The final goal came from Emma Murphy ’17, who received a pinpoint cross-field pass from Jordy Fenton ’17 and fired the ball into the top of the net to cap off Andover’s victory.
Andover’s defense held a strong line in front of goalkeeper Antonia Tammaro ’17, who smothered Thayer’s breakaways to record another clean sheet.
Outside defender Tookie Wilson ’18 also played strongly. Wilson’s physicality won her almost every contested ball during the game. She also provided extra security on defense, allowing Co-Captain Jeanine Moreau ’16 to push forward and join the attack.
Wilson said, “Since the start of the season, I would say that [Moreau’s] combinations with the midfield have been a major reason we have been so effective in the counter transition and getting the ball from the back of the field to our strikers.”
Andover’s dominant victory against Thayer was preceded by a similarly lopsided 5-1 win against NMH the previous Saturday. Humes netted the first goal early in the first half, and Thayer responded with a breakaway goal to tie it at 1-1. Andover’s offense pulled away with a 3-1 lead by the end of the first half. Zoe Oasis ’17 ended up tallying two goals, and Humes, Shipley and Krystiana Swain ’18 each slotted one goal.
“Our win against NMH really showed our character as a team. After they tied it up at 1-1 we weren’t phased at all, and we responded with relentless attack. The defense shut down any of NMH’s offensive threats, which allowed us to focus on the offense. It was great to see goals and playing time from a bunch of different girls,” said Chin.
Shipley said, “Against NMH we really worked as a unit and had some awesome combination goals. Much like Thayer, it was really a solid win that felt great.” Humes credited her attacking success to the team’s strength in the back half of the field.
“I’ve been getting the most perfect balls from Natalia, Brianna, Courtney and Jeanine that float right over the defense and set me up for an easy tap in the net. I really try to capitalize on those great opportunities, because I know you only get a few every game,” said Humes.
By toppling NMH and Thayer, Andover extended its winning streak to four games. The team looks to continue this streak against Deerfield on Saturday.
Editor’s Note: Casssie Chin is a Sports Associate for The Phillipian.
