RallyNorth.net

Tue, Nov 07, 2017 06:00 PM @ Andover

Team	1	2	3	4	Final
Winchester	21	26	25	23	1
Andover	25	28	13	25	3

Andover volleyball makes it nine straight North finals appearances

Wednesday, November, 08 By Kyle Gaudette

WINCHESTER - Like clockwork, Andover plays its best volleyball when the calendar switches to November.

When the lights are brightest, the Golden Warriors respond.

That trend continued Tuesday night, when No. 3 Andover took down second-seeded Winchester, 3-1, in the Division 1 North semifinals. The win put the Warriors in the North finals for an incredible ninth consecutive year. 

"I'm really excited!" said senior tri-captain Sophia Wang, who recently was named All-MVC. "We have a really good team this year and we just have really good chemistry. We all trust each other."

The word of the day for Andover (18-2) was resiliency.

After winning the first game, Andover started Game 2 slow (trailing 7-2) before eventually facing a 23-20 deficit. But after a timeout, the Warriors responded with four straight points, and eventually won the game, 28-26.

Winchester, which ends its season 19-2, didn't go out quietly, dominating Game 3, 25-13.

"We said to just forget about the mistakes and just think about the next point," said Wang. "I told my team to just believe in each other and to push through because we all have the skill-set to succeed."

Andover faced the grueling prospect of having to play a decisive final game, trailing in Game 4, 23-22. But the Warriors strung together the final three points of the match to close out the Sachems. 

Wang was all over the court, notching team-highs in assists (22), service points (20) and digs (10). Junior All-MVC performer Alexis Mancha was a force at the net, notching 15 kills while recording eight digs. Andover's third All-MVC player, Sarah Shattuck (8 kills, 2 blocks, 2 aces), was a key factor as well.

Andover's win also guaranteed an all-MVC North final.

The Warriors will play the winner of top-seeded Methuen and No. 12 Central Catholic, which play tonight at 6 p.m. at Methuen High. The Golden Warriors split with Methuen during the regular season, and beat Central twice (3-2 both times).

A Central win would secure a rematch of last fall's North final, won, 3-1, by the Raiders.

 

 

Andover 3, Winchester 1

Division 1 North Semifinals

Kills: Alexis Mancha 15, Sarah Shattuck 8

Blocks: Shattuck 2

Assists: Sophia Wang 22

Service points: Wang 20

Aces: Shattuck 2

Digs: Wang 10, Mancha 8

Winchester (19-2):     21 26 25 23 - 1

Andover (18-2):     25 28 13 25 - 3