RallyNorth.net

North Andover hangs on for 7-6 win

Tuesday, June, 01 By Christopher Smith
Staff writer

NORTH ANDOVER ‑ Goalie Bridget Kitchen could feel thepressure mounting as Central Catholic cut North Andover’s second-half lead fromfour goals to just one goal.

The Scarlet Knights netminder felt even more stress when aCentral game-tying shot attempt deflected off her and then hit the goalpostwith 1 minute, 7 seconds left.

Close call!

“My heart was beating,” Kitchen said. “My mind was goingcrazy, but I knew I had to do it for the team. ... For a second I lost it (whenit hit the post) but when I looked down and saw it I knew I had to put mystick over.”

She did and from there, No. 5 North Andover held on for a 7-6 victoryover No. 12 Central yesterday in Round 1 of the Division 1 North tournament.

North Andover (14-5) advances on to play No. 4 Andover (15-6)in the quarterfinals tomorrow at 6 p.m. at Andover High School. 

Andover also won yesterday, beating Concord-Carlisle 14-12 in afirst round contest.

Kitchen made seven saves, several of which were big stick saves togive her team possession. Kitchen would then step out from the crease and makenice passes to set up the offense.

“In the first half (some big saves) really helped us igniteour transition,” North Andover coach Karen Lahey said. “Whoever scores the goalgets the applause but it really starts with the goalie stop. With Bridget, whenshe steps out of the crease, that tells me she is confident. She’s confidentwith her stick. If you watch the league and you even watch Division 1 play, youdon’t see a lot of goalies leave the crease. They just hug it and they are safein there. Bridget has real confidence. I think she’s a goalie to watch.” 

Courtney O’Neil did a nice job getting Central back into thegame after the Raiders fell behind 6-2.

The junior attacker, who finished the season with 36 goals,scored three times in the second half to cut the deficit to 6-5 and 7-6.

“She’s had three or four games like this,” Central coachPhil Rowley said about O’Neil. “She’s really played well all year. If she’s notplaying well, then Bianca (Sacco) is playing well. They covered Bianca very,very tightly, which took her out of play except for the one goal she did get.Courtney stepped it up. She has the speed and she’s a go-to player for usalso.”

North Andover senior Emily Samuelman scored what turned out to be thegame-winner when she netted a penalty shot late in the second half. Thegoal made it 7-5 at the time.

“She’s the inspirational leader for us,” Emily’s sisterMaggie Samuelman said. “She has those moments where she gives us hope when itcomes down to that pressure time.”

The Samuelman sisters provided a real spark offensively.Both scored two goals each.

 “I know(Central) is a new program but we were definitely expecting a physical game,”Emily Samuelman said. “They obviously have really good athletes.”

The North Andover defense held Central to just one goal inthe first half.

“That was definitely our strongest defense (played all thisyear) in the first half,” North Andover defender Erika Zahoruiko said. “We reallydropped well, we all covered the ball. We had good checks, came up with the ball.”