LYNNFIELD — With a solid group of returning players, Lynnfield’s girls tennis team is primed for another successful season.
The Pioneers have posted winning records and qualified for the state tournament for 42 consecutive years under Craig Stone, now in his 45th season as head coach.
“The team has really good depth; we don’t fall off a lot from top to bottom,” Stone said. “We always want to go into every match wanting to win two of the singles matches and split the doubles matches, singles, and split dubs. Realistically, we have the talent to do that going forward, so I think we should have another successful year.”
Last year, the Pioneers finished the regular season 15-2, won the Cape Ann League Kinney Division, and advanced to the Div. 4 semifinals for the third consecutive year. Sixteen players played at least one varsity match, which Stone said “showcased our depth of talent.”
As the No. 1 seed, Lynnfield opened the tournament with a 5-0 win against Uxbridge in the Round of 32, then defeated Bourne 4-0 in the Round of 16 and Nantucket 5-0 in the quarterfinals. Its quest to play for a state title for a second straight year ended in the semifinals against eventual champion Hamilton-Wenham, which defeated the Pioneers 3-2 in a rematch of the 2024 state final (also won by the Generals).
The Pioneers graduated four seniors, two of whom were lineup regulars and All-Stars: Paige Martino (17-2) at first singles and Ella Hayman (15-2) at first doubles. Martino finished her career with a program-best 72 wins, while Hayman finished with 38. Martino became the third player in program history to play four years in the No. 1 position.
The good news: Senior two-year captain Lily Alves returns for a fourth season on varsity. A CAL All-Star at second singles last year, Alves (17-1) has moved to first singles. She continues to climb the Hall of Fame Top 50 career wins list and enters this season with a record of 45-13.
“She had never really played competitively and walked on as a freshman because some of the girls she had taken lessons with encouraged her,” Stone said. “Her improvement every year has been phenomenal. … She moved up to second singles and has had incredible success and will hold her own at first singles.”
Junior Vicky McCrann, a CAL All-Star at first doubles with Hayman last year, also returns. McCrann (15-3) has played every position but first singles across her three varsity seasons.
The second doubles team of sophomores Kathleen Brown (11-1) and Christine Choi (9-1) also returns. The duo was a perfect 9-0 last year, earning CAL All-Star honors.
Sophomore Kami Khiat (13-3) returns for a second year on varsity. She manned the third singles spot last year. Stone said she, Brown, and Choi are in the mix for second and third singles as well as first doubles.
Other returners include seniors Charlotte Beccia (1-0), Fiona Asaad (2-1), Victoria Clancy (3-0), and Nandana Nishandth (2-1), as well as juniors Emma Wagon (6-1) and Charlotte Rose (1-0).
Promising newcomers include freshman Olivia Asaad, who is in the mix for second singles, third singles, and doubles.
Alves, Clancy, McCrann, and senior Gianna Micieli will serve as captains.
“It always comes down to the team vote and every one of them received more than a majority of votes,” Stone said. “All will play different roles, which the kids put a lot of value on. All of them are excellent role models and students who always put team first because they know it doesn’t matter what roles they have.”
The Pioneers will compete in Div. 3 this season.
They begin Monday in North Andover and follow with home matches against 2025 Div. 3 semifinalist Bishop Fenwick (Tuesday) and Beverly (Thursday). They also have non-league matches against Swampscott, Danvers, and Marblehead. Their first league match is April 6 in Newburyport.
No doubt, a big test comes April 27 when the Pioneers host four-time Div. 4 champion Hamilton-Wenham.
“The league is similar to recent years with Hamilton-Wenham, Manchester-Essex, Newburyport, and Ipswich all being strong,” Stone said. “Fenwick was a Final Four team last year. Swampscott has a super team this year and, who knows who comes out of the South? All six of our non-league matches are against teams that were in the tournament last year — that’s why I scheduled them.”
