Andover Ends Grey Ghost Girls' Lacrosse Season

For 10 minutes, it looked like the Westford Academy girls' lacrosse team was going to spoil Andover’s run through the sectional. Only problem is there were 40 more minutes to play.

The Golden Warriors rattled off eight straight goals to turn a two-goal, first half deficit into a six-goal lead, crusing the visiting Grey Ghosts on Wednesday afternoon, 14-6.

Andover's win clinched a berth in Friday's Division 1 North Sectional finals against the highly touted Warriors of Lincoln-Sudbury.

“Give Westford a lot of credit; they came out to play,” Andover coach John McVeigh said. “They tried to play a deliberate pace early and it was working. I think we adjusted to that, and once we started running I felt like we were playing our kind of game.”

The Golden Warriors tied the game late in the first half before senior Kate Farnham scored in the last minute to put Andover up for good.

Farnham was just one of eight goal scorers for Andover.

Meanwhile, Westford junior goaltender Kalie Boyd stopped seven of Andover’s 11 first half shots before allowing 10 of 13 get through in the second half.

McVeigh was quick to praise Boyd’s early performance as well as his team’s ability to eventually put the ball past her.

“We got some pretty good shots in the first half, but their goalie played great,” McVeigh said. “I told her at the end of the game that I thought it was the best any goalie has played against us this year.

“We talked at halftime about trying to get great shots and the ball would go in if we got great shots. Once we opened the second half nicely we relaxed and got into our game.”

Senior All-American Ally Fazio led the Warriors by example with four goals and a pair of assists, while sophomore Weezie Gross netted a hat trick and junior Jaclyn Torres scored a pair of goals, including the eventual game winner early in the second half.

“When you have one really great player that helps you for some games, but when you play good teams it doesn’t really help you,” said Fazio, who is heading to the University of Connecticut next year. “For our offense we all can score; we’re all good at passing, catching, finishing.”

Westford junior Bailey Mongilo played well in defeat scoring three goals, but Ghosts coach Julie Olivier was not pleased with her team’s performance.

“Unfortunately we did not play our best game,” Olivier said. “I can definitely say that. It’s not being a poor loser; we just didn’t play our best game.”

Even though the Grey Ghosts will have wait another year to have a crack at the North final, Olivier was optimistic because almost all of her team will be back next spring.

“We’re good, we’re only losing two seniors,” Olivier said. “One was a starter and one wasn’t. We’ll be good.”

As for the victorious Golden Warriors, Lincoln-Sudbury looms large in what is a repeat of last year's Sectional final.

Andover couldn't pull it out in that encounter, but McVeigh said that his team will have to play well in all facets of the game to defeat them.

“They’re a great team,” McVeigh said of Lincoln-Sudbury. “They’re as talented a team as I’ve ever coached against. We have a ton of respect for them. It’s going to take an outstanding team effort. No one person can beat them.”