The Pioneers’ boys tennis team started the season with an impressive win at love, shutting out visiting Bishop Fenwick, 5-0, at Lynnfield High.
Sophomores Ritvik Mahajan, Rishabh Anand, and Mahir Akhter picked up their first varsity victories. Mahajan won the third singles match, 6-0, 6-3, while Anand and Akhter prevailed at second doubles, 6-0, 6-0.
“Ritvik was playing confidently. It was his first varsity singles match so it’s not like doubles when you have a partner if you get down a little, so he did very well,” said Lynnfield Coach Joe Dunn. “The last set (6-3) was pretty much back and forth, so he did well. He hit all his shots, so I was really proud of him.”
Rishabh and Mahir were really happy to get a big win and their first varsity win,” Dunn said. “They worked on coming into the net, so their game together is moving forward and getting the lobs and overheads.”
Senior captain Shea McCarthy picked up a win at first singles, 6-1, 6-0. Dunn said that despite the lopsided score, the match was competitive.
“Shea’s opponent played well and there were lots of long rallies and points,” Dunn said. “Shea played extremely well.”
Fellow senior captain Shlok Kudrimoti took the second singles match, 6-0, 6-0.
“Shlok was playing very aggressively and got his match done pretty quickly,” Dunn said.
The senior first doubles team of Matt Reinold and captain Raffi Arkun cruised to a 6-0, 6-0 win.
“Matt and Raffi are a tough doubles team together – they are playing really well,” Dunn said. “There wasn’t too much competition for them today, but it was that they got some work in together and they are really clicking as a team. Today gave some people an opportunity to play and gain some experience, so, overall, it was a great way to start the season.”
The Pioneers are back in action Friday at 4:30 p.m. when they host Hamilton-Wenham.
