Lynnfield girls’ tennis falls in state semifinals

LEXINGTON – Lynnfield?s long undefeated streak came to an end on Wednesday when the Pioneers lost to the Martha?s Vineyard Vineyarders, 3-2, in the Division 3 North state semifinals at Lexington High School. The Pioneers swept both doubles? matches, but they couldn?t notch any wins in singles? play for the first time in a very long time.
?I felt coming in that that was (Martha?s Vineyard?s) strength,” Lynnfield coach Craig Stone said of the Vineyarders? singles? play. “But if you had told me that we wouldn?t take one singles? match, I wouldn?t believe it.”
Lynnfield entered the match with a record of 20-0 this season and a No. 1 seed in Division 3 North. The Pioneers had not lost since June 6, 2013, in the North semifinals against Weston, and had won 41 consecutive matches before falling to Martha?s Vineyard.
Sarah Mezini dropped the first singles? match to Samantha Potter, 3-6, 2-6. The pace of the match appeared to be a challenge. It was one of the rare occasions when Mezini just didn?t have it going right, and Potter took advantage of that.
Lynnfield?s second doubles? team of Camie Foley and Katie Nugent played a solid match against the team of Madison McBride and Lia Potter. Lynnfield won, 6-0, 6-3, to tie the match at one game apiece.
The doubles? team of Katie Nevils and Olivia Skelley had a tougher match against the team of Charlotte Potter and Josie Iadiccio. But Nevils and Skelley pulled out the win, 7-5, 6-3, giving Lynnfield a 2-1 lead.
Both the second and third singles? matches went to three sets. In third singles, Lynnfield senior Izzy Figucia rallied back to force a tiebreaker after dropping the first set, but could not secure the win. She lost to Lizzie Williamson, 1-6, 7-6 (5), 2-6, and the match was tied once again, 2-2.
It all came down to the second singles? match between Lynnfield?s Kelley Nevils and Martha?s Vineyard?s Kat Roberts. It was by far the most evenly matched contest and took almost three hours to complete. Nevils came out strong, winning the first set, 6-4.
She played well to start the second set as well, but Roberts was able to battle back and force a tiebreaker. Nevils then fell behind, 1-6, in the tiebreaker, but she was able to get all the way back to have a chance at match point. However, Roberts took the tiebreaker, and it was on to a deciding third set.
That?s when Roberts kicked into high gear. She had started employing a drop shot about halfway through the second set and Nevils could not answer. Roberts continued that strategy into the third set, pushing Nevils back with hard hits and then dropping one softly over the net for the point.
It was a great strategy, as she kept Nevils off balance. By then, Roberts was in control, winning the third set. Roberts took the match, 4-6, 7-6 (10), 6-1, and Martha?s Vineyard had its ticket to the state finals.
?It?s only fitting for Kelley to be in that position,” Stone said. “She?s given us her all for four years. She?s a captain, and she was the right person to be in there. It?s unfortunate that it didn?t go the other way, but we?ll use it as motivation, individually and collectively.”
The Pioneers will now clear their heads and start looking toward next season. With only two seniors graduating (Nevils and Figucia) and plenty of talent waiting in the wings, Stone has the ability to move some pieces around and have a chance to get right back into the state semifinals next year.
?We try to get the younger girls ready and get them in competitive situations so they?re ready when this time comes,” Stone said. “It will be great having so many of them back. And who knows who?s going to step up big for us next year.”
Mike Alongi can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @m_alongi.