Lynnfield’s tennis team has some shoes to fill this spring season, as the Pioneers lost three starters after a 15-6 campaign a year ago. It ultimately ended in the Division 3 quarterfinals of the state tournament.
However, things are looking upwards.
“We’re returning 11 players from last year, and we have 12 new players this year,” head coach Craig Stone said.
One of the holes that Stone needs to fill is the doubles team. It’s not as simple as putting two girls together on the court, and lots of thought goes into finding the right pair.
“They have to be able to understand the difference in play strategy. They have to understand the formation of the other team compared to singles where you don’t have to worry too much about positioning unless they’re up at the net,” Stone said.
“They also need to have personalities that won’t affect the play of their partner,” Stone said. “They have to be more optimistic and complementary. Communication is key in doubles as well.”
Luckily for Stone, Leticia Marafon is a returning doubles player and, according to Stone, will definitely figure in to the doubles positions this spring.
The Pioneers are returning some key players that Stone will rely on in addition to Marafon. Stone was complimentary of Paige Martino, Genna Gioioso, and Maddie Sieve.
Martino is expected to face the other team’s best singles player. When asked what makes Martino special, Stone was, of course, full of praise.
“She has a solid game. There are no weaknesses and she can play with any of the opposing teams’ number ones. It’s really exciting to watch her play because of the competitive levels she plays with,” Stone said. “She’s able to win points anywhere on the court or with any type of strokes.”
Stone said Gioioso has a “complete game,” and points to her “steadiness, consistency, and mental toughness” as her biggest strengths.
As for Sieve, a lot of it has to do with her athletic ability.
“She’s a junior and hasn’t really played competitively until last year. She used to run track,” Stone said. “She’s very athletic. What she may lack with experience, she more than makes up for it through her athleticism.”
Although the Pioneers have individual quality, Stone said it’s all about the team’s performance.
“It’s really a team sport. There’s definitely an individual emphasis, kind of like wrestling, which is probably why I like coaching tennis,” Stone said. “People need to understand that it is a team sport because you need three out of the five to win the match. No one can do it all by themselves.”
One of the goals Stone set for the team is to continue Lynnfield’s impressive streak of qualifying for the state tournament.
“We want to qualify for the state tournament. We’ve done it for 39 years in a row, and I don’t think this is the team that wants to break that streak,” Stone said. “We want to keep improving and be competitive.”
Whether or not the Pioneers qualify for the state tournament, Stone’s ultimate goal is for the girls to get a “positive experience.”
“That’s my goal each season — to have felt that they all had a positive experience.”
The Pioneers’ quest for state tournament qualification begins Thursday when they travel to face defending state champion Newburyport. The match is set to start at 3:30 p.m. at Atkinson Common.
