WORCESTER, MA — The Andover High School girls’ field hockey team fell one goal short in its quest to win its third-straight state title, falling 1-0 to top-seeded Walpole in the state final at Worcester Polytech Institute Saturday.
“It is what it is, but I just said to the kids that at the beginning of the year I never thought this could happen so just getting here is a win for them,” first-year AHS coach Bridget Morris told the North Andover Eagle-Tribune. “I don’t want the kids to be upset and I’m not upset. Walpole played better and if we lost, I wanted it to be against a better team and today they were better.”
It was the third straight year Walpole (22-1) and Andover (19-3) battled in the state final. Andover won both of the previous matchups 1-0.
The Warriors didn’t enter the season with expectations as high as the previous two seasons. While still one of the top teams in the state this fall, Andover had a young roster and fought through injuries early in the season.
“There was just something missing in the beginning, but we really got our act together,” sophomore Ella Sewall told the Boston Globe earlier this month.
Izzy Adams scored the lone goal in the first quarter. Andover goalie Bridget Morris made five saves in the match. The two teams combined for a single shot on goal in the second half.