LYNNFIELD — The Lynnfield field hockey team faced a daunting task this season, graduating 12 seniors and having only four returning players with varsity experience.
Prior to the start of the season, coach Mamie Reardon admitted her team was young and that the team “was definitely rebuilding.”
Let’s just say the construction phase was way ahead of schedule, giving the Pioneers hope of another strong tournament run.
Lynnfield finished 12-4 and earned the No. 5 seed in the Division 2 North tournament. The Pioneers are scheduled to play Cape Ann League rival Ipswich, the No. 12 seed, Thursday (3:30). The Pioneers defeated the Tigers 3-1 in their only meeting of the season in early October.
The Pioneers have played some of their best field hockey over the second half of the season. They won eight of their last 10 games, the final one a 1-0 thriller over archrival Manchester-Essex Saturday morning at Hyland Field. Senior captain Carolyn Garofoli scored the game-winning goal, while goalie Ava O’Brien was rock solid in net with six saves, most of them of the spectacular variety.
“It was a beautiful goal, a backward sweep, which Carolyn does very well,” said Reardon. “They (the Hornets) put a lot of pressure on us in the last 10 minutes. Ava was truly a superstar, no doubt the star of the game. Every save was phenomenal, including one on a breakaway that would have tied the game, but she came out and made a diving cave to break it up. For someone in her first year, I cannot say enough good things about the way she has played all year long.”
Reardon said she was extremely pleased with the way the team played down the home stretch.
“The last four games were just a whirlwind, and to think that we beat Pentucket, Triton and Manchester and lost only to Masco (6-1) on Senior Night, was a real milestone for us. Getting that bounce-back win after the awful loss to Masco shows me just how far they have come. This team plays with heart and really does have what it takes to win.”
Lynnfield is one of six CAL teams that made the 16-team bracket, which is a good thing according to Reardon.
“I like the fact that we have played these teams so we know what we are facing,” she said. “I’d rather play someone we know than someone we don’t, but the bad thing is having to play someone twice, maybe three times. The third time usually is not the charm.”
Middlesex League powerhouse and defending North champion Watertown (16-1) is the top seed. Last year, Lynnfield had a 1-0 lead over 9-time defending state champion Watertown (which had not lost in 10 years) in the semifinal. But a bungled call by an official gave the Red Raiders second life, who tied the score on a penalty corner to send the game into overtime. Watertown prevailed in double overtime, 2-1.
This year, the Pioneers will look to senior captains Garofoli, Lily Rothwell and defender Grace MacDonald to lead the Pioneers on a deep tournament run.
Rothwell led the Pioneers in scoring in the regular season with 15 goals and two assists, while Garofoli finished with seven goals and four assists. Maddie Murphy (6 goals, 8 assists), Anna Kaminski (9 goals, 4 assists) and Liv Ventre (7 goals, 5 assists) are also key offensive threats.
Reardon is hopeful that Ventre will be 100 percent after sitting out the Masco game with a hand injury.
“She’s in a soft cast and may be ready for the first game,” said Reardon. “We need her. She is definitely an impact player who can score in the circle. She has a quick hit that is so fast you don’t see it.”
