Clash of the Undefeated: Knights Fall to the Warriors

North Andover's field hockey team couldn't withstand the fury of the Warriors and fell to Andover last night.

Through seven games, the Andover field hockey squad has remained unbeaten, adding wins to its impressive undefeated, championship season a year ago. More important, the Warriors have shut out every opponent this season with a combined score of 36-0. 

The latest victim was fellow unbeaten, a familiar foe from the Cape Ann League. The Warriors defeated the Scarlet Knights 4-0 Wednesday, at North Andover.

It appeared early that North Andover would put an end to the shutout streak by Andover goalie, Shannon Tully, with strong offensive pressure. The Warrior defense stood and battled the Knights advances, but needed a timeout with 23:45 remaining in the thirty-minute half. But the timeout didn’t seem to slow down the onslaught as North Andover got two close opportunities around the 22:00 mark.

Midway through the half the 2010 State Champs turned the tables on the home team. The Warriors started trading close calls with the Knights, and NA goalie, Meg Foster had to come up big more than once.

With 12:50 remaining, Andover took a corner shot and Anne Farnham tipped home her first of three goals on a rocket of a shot by Taylor Farris to put the Warriors up 1-0.

“It just settles everything,” Andover coach Maureen Noone said of the goal. “You do kind of panic even if it’s early in the game, so I think the goal made a big difference.”

 The sudden goal drew a timeout from North Andover coach, Courtney Breen.

“I said, we were with them here,” said Breen, remembering the timeout. “I always ask [the players], ‘what do you guys think is happening here?’ and they said that we let [Andover] take control of the game, which we did.”

With about six minutes to go in the first, Farnham picked up her second by grabbing a lose rebound and slamming it home to put Andover up 2-0. Four minutes later, Farnham concluded the natural hat trick on another corner shot opportunity, tipping the ball in the exact same way she picked up her first. Andover went into halftime up, 3-0.

The second half was a different story for the Knights. The game became more balanced with Andover getting a slight edge in chances.

With 19:20 left, Foster came up big again for NA, booting away a one-timer from Farnham who took a nice feed from Farris right out front.

North Andover’s Caroline Whalen stood out on the defense, knocking away a few, quick counter strikes from the speedy Andover forwards relieving pressure off Foster.

Angie Minott mimicked the play of Whalen up at the midfield. As the players tired, the ball found it tough to make it past the transition game with play huddled throughout midfield late in the contest.

Foster made another big save late, but Andover added its fourth and final goal with under two minutes left, when Meagan Keefe tipped another Farris blast.

“I think, as a team, we just play so well,” Doone said. “Our speed really kicks in, and the kids that we have subbing in are pretty good subs. They give a quick break and are ready to go.”

Andover improves to 7-0, and travels to Haverhill tomorrow, while North Andover falls to 4-1-2 and travels to Lynnfield on Oct. 3.