With four matches in a span of only six days, let’s just say there wasn’t a lot of down time for the Pioneers’ girls tennis team last week.
Saturday, the Pioneers (10-5) headed north to Newburyport to take on the top-ranked Division 3 team in the state only to come up on the short end of a 5-1 score.
Paige Martino was the lone winner, taking the first singles match 7-5, 6-2. The Pioneers had to shuffle the lineup due to the absence of second singles stalwart, Lily Alves.
“Great match to watch at first singles with both players pounding groundstrokes from the baseline. Obviously playing without Lily put us at a disadvantage, but to be able to play competitively was a positive sign,” coach Craig Stone said. “We need to finish strong all week to set the stage for a long run in the Division 4 state tournament.”
Despite the loss, Stone said there were many positive takeaways, including the play of Maddie Sieve (6-3, 3-6, 7-10), who moved up to second singles and Fiona Asaad (0-6, 106), who moved up to third singles and played her first career singles match.
“Maddie was all over her opponent in the first set, blending groundstrokes, passing shots and lobs for the win. Her opponent seemed to find a rhythm in the second set for the win,” Stone said. “Fiona played admirably. Only a sophomore, she has tremendous potential for the future.”
Stone was also pleased with the play of the doubles team, Ella Hayman and Leticia Marafon (3-6, 2-6) at first doubles and Vicky McCann and Emma Wagon (0-6, 1-6) at second.
“First doubles fought for every point and played evenly into the middle of both sets but could not find an answer for the strong net play of their opponents,” Stone said. “Second doubles hung in there but always seemed to be playing from behind.”
Ranked No. 3 in the Division 4 power rankings, the Pioneers (9-5) had another busy week with four matches in four days. The team is back on the courts Thursday at home against North Reading in the final match of the regular season.
Lynnfield 4
Pentucket 1
Playing their third match in three days, the Pioneers bounced back from their non-league match to Beverly with a solid road win on May 16.
Martino (6-0, 6-1), Sieve (6-3, 6-0) and Marafon (6-0, 6-2) swept the singles matches, while Hayman/McCrann (2-6, 6-3, 6-7) and Parminder Saini/Wagon (6-3, 6-3) split the doubles matches.
“Paige cruised again at first singles, asserting herself as one of the top singles players on the North Shore,” Stone said.
Sieve, bumped up to second singles due to fill in for Alves, was up 4-3 in the first set then took the next eight games to close out the match in straight sets.
“Leticia is proving to be an effective singles player as well as a doubles player winning her second singles match of the season at third singles,” Stone said.
Hayman/McCrann battled back to force a tie breaker but came up just short, 4-7. Saini/Wagon led both sets 4-3, and kept their foot on the gas to take the match in straight sets.
“First doubles had a tough start dropping the first set, put it all together in the second set, then both teams played evenly in the third,” Stone said. “Winning the next match after a tough loss in the previous one seems to restore a semblance of confidence and direction. Individually, the players must trust their strokes and understand what is working that day. You will not always have your total game together, but you can always find what is working and build on that.”
Beverly 4
Lynnfield 1
The Pioneers hit the road on May 14 for a non-league match against the Panthers, the No. 16 ranked team in Division 1. Martino was the only winner, winning easily at first singles, 6-1, 6-1.
“Paige, again, asserted herself from the first rally, controlling every aspect of the match,” Stone said.
Alves lost a three-set marathon, two-hour plus at second singles, 6-7, 6-3, 2-10, in a tie breaker. Marafon/Hayman lost at first doubles, 4-6, 3-6, and McCrann/Wagon fell at second doubles, 3-6, 4-6.
“Both players were steady from the baseline and evenly matched throughout,” Stone said. “Maddie (1-6, 2-6) never settled in with her opponent dictating the style of play. Both doubles had their chances but had trouble converting at crunch time.
“We had our chances and if we played the match again the next day it could be a totally different result,” he said. “These are the types of matches we will need to win to go deep into the state tournament.”
Lynnfield 5
Amesbury 0
Stone tweaked the lineup Monday against the Indians and swept. Alves won at first singles, 6-2, 6-1. Sieve followed at second singles, 6-2, 6-2 and Marafon won at third singles, 6-0, 6-2. McCrann/Wagon (first doubles) and Nandana Nishanth/Asaad (second doubles), in their first varsity matches, swept at love.
“It’s always good to give teammates who normally do not start an opportunity to play as they are the future starters,” Stone said. “There is no substitution during play in this sport. It is quite an unselfish gesture of sportsmanship and camaraderie for a starting player to let this happen, and it is very appreciated by their teammates.”
