RallyNorth.net

Andover blanks Barnstable

Wednesday, February, 26 By Jeff Hamrick

TEWKSBURY – Lauren Adams needed only 30 seconds to give Andover the lead in its Division 1 North hockey opener.

Lillian Jagger spent the next 44:30 ensuring that goal would be all the Warriors needed to advance to the first round.

Andover, seeded 15th, would add a third-period score from a freshman on its way to a 2-0 victory over No. 18 Barnstable at the Breakaway Ice Center.

Entering the postseason with a team-high 16 goals, Adams took advantage of an early Barnstable turnover, connecting from in front of the net for her fifth goal in four varsity postseason matches.

“I got a pass from Hannah (Rowe),” Adams said. “I just kind of turned and shot it. It went in. I felt the (defense) coming from the back, so I turned the other way and just kind of shot it really quick.”

The Warriors (11-6-4) controlled most of the first period, and it appeared Andover would quickly back up that initial score.

“We’ve been there,” Vigue said. “We’ve had a lot of games when we’ve been up 1-0 and yet we can’t always back it up until the end. So, it was nice to get that first goal early to have something to lean on … But there’s still 45 minutes left in the game.”

Vigue’s sophomore goalie and defense made that last 44-plus minutes very tough on the visiting Red Raiders (10-8-3). Barnstable looked to have scored with 5:48 left in the second, but that goal was called off with players in the crease.

“I just didn’t want to let anybody down,” Jagger said. “The defense did a really good job keeping the front of the net clear, and I didn’t have to do as much as I anticipated. I just did my job and everyone else did their’s. It was great.”

Jagger, who registered her fifth shutout on the season, took heavy heat early in the third, making five of her 15 saves in the first 2:20.

“Jags has always been a good solid goalie for us all year long,” Vigue said. “What we’re looking for from her and our defense making sure the (opponent’s) shots are low. Today, she really stepped it up.”

Freshman Eliza O’Sullivan added the clincher with 8:30 left in the game, scoring her second goal in the eight games she’s played. Senior defenseman Sara Carleo had an assist off a pass from sophomore forward Emily Addesa.

“Eliza is relatively new,” Vigue said. “Somebody went down and we put Sully into that third-line role. That’s our grinder line. We want that line to come out and make opportunities for themselves.”

For the third straight year, the Warriors will face perennial-power and second-seeded Austin Prep, which knocked Andover out of the semifinals last year and the quarters the year before.