RallyNorth.net

No. 21 seed Andover took No. 5-seed Lincoln-Sudbury into overtime before dropping a heartbreaking 3-2 decision in playoff boys soccer action yesterday. Trailing 1-0 at halftime, the Warriors rallied to take a 2-1 lead on unassisted goals by Panayioti Kostakis and Pat O'Sullivan. It took a Lincoln-Sudbury goal in the last minute of regulation to send the game into overtime.

Drew Gath and An Huynh each scored to give No. 21 Andover a 2-1 win over No. 12 East Boston, in the preliminary round of the Division 1 North Tourney. Josh Chevalier made eight saves to secure the win. The Golden Warriors (9-7-3) play at Lincoln Sudbury Monday, at 2 p.m.

Haverhill dumped Andover, 4-1, and the win clinched a second-place tie with Dracut, earning the Hillies an automatic playoff bid. Alex Jimenez scored twice while Jared Grazio (10 saves) earned the win.

Two goals from Drew Gath kept Andover close but Malden held on for a 4-2 victory. Senior midfielder Sean McQuillan played a strong two-way game for the Golden Warriors.

Sean McQuillan scored in the 18th minute and Andover never looked back in its 1-0 win over Central Catholic.

 "The game was very tight and really intense," said coach Jim Saalfrank of Methuen. "It was a playoff caliber game. It wasn't a battle for the Merrimack Valley championship, but beating Central helps us out. It's two points closer to the title."

Josh Chevalier made 15 saves to help Andover to a 2-1 victory over Dracut.

"It was very windy so he had to come out a lot and anticipate the wind," Andover coach Jim Saalfrank said. "He came out aggresively and made plenty of saves." 

Pat Leber scored two second-half goals as host Andover snapped a 1-1 halftime deadlock and rolled past Methuen, 4-1, in a rainy night at Lovely Field.

Sean McQuillan scored 35 seconds into the game and Bryan Burkhard scored 30 seconds into the second half as Andover rolled past Lawrence 5-0.

As the goalie tried to clear the ball, Andover's Elliott Cooper used his face to knock the ball back into play, and Bryan Burkhard burried it for a second-half goal to give the Golden Warriors a 1-0 win over Billerica.

Elliot Cooper scored on a sweet pass from Tanayioti Kostakis just three minutes in, sending Andover on its way to a 2-0 boys soccer win over Haverhill. Josh Chevalier stopped six shots for his second straight shutout victory.