A fast and physical Phillips Andover starting eleven opened up the scoring early on Wednesday, earning an impressive goal in the first five minutes of the match. The goal, the result of a nicely driven cross that was neatly finished on the back pipe, served as a wake up call for the girls in white. Once Middlesex Girls' Varsity Soccer settled down, the tenor of the match shifted dramatically. Strong tackling in the back line, led by Stella Mourtzinos '26, Gussie Willis '27, Phoebe Seidman '26, and Lila Glazier '25, allowed MXGVS to counter-attack effectively in the final thirty minutes of the first half. Middlesex's lone tally of the match was spectacular. On the counter, after receiving a ball from Sadie Schuler '25, Blake Dewing '25 released a missile from well outside of the eighteen that sailed over the outstretched glove of Andover's keeper and into the side-netting. Staunch defending, highlighted by an impressive shift from winger Merritt Fitch '27, left both sides even heading into halftime. Despite a great effort in the second half, Andover pulled ahead with two late tallies that sealed the match for the home team. Final: 3-1 PA. MXGVS hosts St. Mark's on Saturday, September 21st, to open up ISL league play.