Andover shuts down Central

Mon, May 02, 2011 07:00 PM @ Andover
Team	1	2	Final
Central Catholic	0	1	1
Andover	9	4	13

Andover shuts down Central

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CARL RUSSO/Staff photo. Andover High School defeated Central Catholic High School 13-1 in lacrosse action Monday night. Central's Christine Keenan, 8, passes the ball as Andover defender gives chase. 5/2/2011. » Staff Photographer

Monday, May, 02 By Jeff Hamrick

ANDOVER — Considering both teams were averaging at least 12.9 goals per game, last night’s matchup between Central Catholic and Andover promised to be an offensive delight.

The host Golden Warriors, however, were the only ones to live up to the billing.

It took Andover less than 30 seconds to get on the board and it didn’t let up, outgunning the previously undefeated Raiders 13-1.

Six different Warriors helped open a 6-0 lead with 9:48 left in the opening half as Andover (10-1) outshot Central (9-1) 15-2 before intermission. That kind of balance has been a staple for Andover through the first half of the season. The Warriors, ranked eighth in Eastern Massachusetts, have scored 151 goals through 10 games and seven players have tallied 12 or more.

Jen Caro, who scored three yesterday, Ally Fazio and Meagan Keefe, who each added a pair, are tied for the team lead with 20 goals.

“We don’t have anyone near the top of the (area) scoring leaders,” Andover coach John McVeigh said. “And I think that’s a point of pride on this team. We share the ball. Our girls our taking a lot of pride in knowing that knowing on any given day somebody will pick us up.”

Although freshman goalie Katherine Geffken stepped up to the challenge, winning five of Andover’s first six games, the Golden Warriors received a boost when returning starter Jill Beucler returned to action. Recovered from a concussion suffered during a preseason scrimmage, the junior saw her first action in the second half of a win against Longmeadow. In the seven quarters she’s played since, Beucler has allowed a mere 17 goals.

“I’m feeling great,” said Beucler, who made five saves yesterday before giving way to Geffken late in the second half. “I’m just glad to be back. It was tough (watching) because I wanted to be in there, but I think it was great for Katherine to be in there.”

The Warriors were 20 seconds shy of posting the shutout when Central’s Erin Masucci tallied Central’s only goal. In defeating the Raiders each of the past three years, Andover has outscored Central by a combined 58-11. Yesterday marked the first time in 10 games the Raiders have scored fewer than 11 goals.

“The way our defenders played, this was their night to me,” McVeigh said. “They played 49 minutes of scoreless lacross. This is not an easy sport to hold a team scoreless. I just thought they were smart and tough ... Those kids are great lacrosse players, and I think the greatest thing to me as a coach is we have so much talent and so much depth, that we have excellent lacrosse players back on defense who can pass and catch.”