Following a perfectly-placed pass from Krystiana Swain ’18, Zoe Oasis ’17 slipped the ball past the goalkeeper from just inside the 18-yard box. Oasis’s goal helped Andover Girls Soccer secure a 2-1 win, while handing Loomis Chaffee (Loomis) its first loss of the season.
Andover also hosted Pingree School on Monday, falling 2-0 against the tough competition. Andover’s record now stands at 2-3.
In the first half of Saturday’s game, Loomis had multiple scoring opportunities. Its shots, however, were continually turned away by Co-Captain and goalkeeper Antonia Tammaro ’17.
Head Coach Lisa Joel said, “In the biggest games, she comes up with the biggest saves. She does well under pressure.”
Tammaro was an integral part of Andover’s defense during the game against Loomis, making eight saves and earning the honor of Player of the Game.
“Antonia was lights out. She came up big on a few break out saves and really kept us in the game. We definitely owe that win to her because saving Loomis’ shots were just as important as scoring on them,” said Co-Captain Cassie Chin ’17.
With the score tied at 1-1 in the second half, Oasis sent a cross to Morgan Kuin ’17, who deftly finished the shot.
Nikki Dlesk ’17 said, “Morgan Kuin’s goal was huge – it was our second goal which completely shifted the tone of the game. We were in the lead again which made our game much calmer and controlled.”
Coming into the game, the team knew it would have a strong chance of beating Loomis if they played efficiently and effectively. In particular, Andover’s back line played a key role in the victory; the unit was able to hold Loomis to only one goal.
“The team did a great job of executing simple goals. They passed well, moving the ball from the midfield into the attacking third,” said Coach Joel.
Against Pingree, Andover started the game confident and controlled, maintaining close to 50 percent possession.
“Our first half was spot on,” said Dlesk. “We were moving quickly and using the whole width of the field. We never gave up, from everyone on the bench cheering to those on the field problem solving.”
In the final minutes of the first half, Pingree put the first goal on the board. With momentum on its side, Pingree was ultimately able to add another goal in the second half and win the match 2-0.
Andover was able to create several opportunities to score throughout the game, but struggled to put them away.
Despite the loss, Andover learned a lot from the game and is still confident in its abilities. In the first half, the team maintained possession and played with discipline on defense.
Joel said, “We need to work on playing our best for the whole time. If we let up for even five minutes, strong teams will take advantage. Mentally and physically, we need to be there for the full 80.”
Andover looks to bounce back against Tabor at home this Saturday.
Editor’s Note: Cassie Chin is a Sports Editor and Morgan Kuin is an Arts & Leisure Editor for The Phillipian.
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Andover looks to bounce back against Tabor at home this Saturday.
Editor’s Note: Morgan Kuin is an Arts & Leisure Editor for The Phillipian.
