Kimball Union Academy win tight 9-8 battle over Andover

For the first time in more than a decade, the Wildcats defeated Andover in a back and forth battle, 9-8.  As has been the case all season, KUA found itself down by a considerable margin early in the game. Andover built a 3-0 lead mid way through the second quarter before Kyle Curry fired a missile from 15 yards to get KUA on the board.  Andover answered with two quick goals of their own to go ahead 5-1.  With time winding down, the KUA offense, not willing to wait until the half to find its momentum, surged forward and scored two goals in the final 40 seconds. Cody Danforth scored off a feed  from Ben Hayden for the first goal and then, after Steve Kontos won the ensuing face-off (15/22 on the day), Hayden again fed to the high crease, this time to Curry, who buried his second goal of the day, to send the Wildcats into the half down only 5-3.  It took KUA less than three minutes to tie the game.  Hayden dodged to his right and rocketed a bouncer to pull KUA to within one, and then Cody Danforth dodged into the middle and fired passed the opposing goalie to tie the score, 5-5. Andover tallied the next goal but KUA would turn up their offensive game and finish the quarter with two unanswered goals in the final two minutes to end the quarter with a 7-6 lead. Curry scored the first of the two off a feed from Kontos and then Justin Wright, from Danforth, scored the second goal with 1:10 remaining on the clock.  Curry scored his fourth goal early in the fourth quarter to give the Wildcats a two goal lead and less than two minutes later, Liebert fed Curry for his fifth goal of the afternoon. Nine minutes still remained on the clock and Andover continued to press, scoring two goals to come within one and still with plenty of time on the clock. Both teams had possession on offense, but solid defensive play at both ends kept the game within one. Jake Gray recorded 12 saves on the day, many coming within the final six minutes of play.  The KUA defensive trio of Kevin Vieira, John Planer, and Juan Breton gave up very little ground to the Andover attack. Long Poles Ben Wyskiel, Taylor Cowan, Franklin Boswell-Taylor, and Cullen Boyle had their hands full all day defending Andover’s powerful middies. KUA’s depth at midfield proved to be key. Eli Ward, Drew Caron, and Chris Morse made big plays on both sides of the field.

KUA (9-3) hosts Brewster on Wednesday for the Lakes Region Championship.