DAN LEVIN won at first singles, 6-1, 7-5 to clinch a 3-2 win for the Pioneers over Swampscott on Monday at LHS. (Courtesy Photo)

 

 

After press time:
Lynnfield defeats North Reading 5-0 (May 23)
Lynnfield defeats Rockport 5-0 (May 22)

 

Published May 22, 2024

By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI

LYNNFIELD — In a non-league match on Monday afternoon, the Lynnfield High boys’ tennis team edged Swampscott, 3-2, at home.

With that victory, the Pioneers swept the Big Blue this season as they improved to 13-1 overall.

This was the team’s fifth match in seven days.

At first singles, Dan Levin won 6-1, 7-5, as his win clinched the match.

“He was down 5-0 in the second set but he focused and came back in that second set,” pointed out Lynnfield head coach Joe Dunn.

Second-singles player, Shea McCarthy, won 6-2, 6-1 while third-singles player, Russ Kasdon won 6-0, 6-2.

In doubles action, Raffi Arkun  and Brendan Sokop lost 6-0, 6-0 while the second pairing of Shlok Kudrimoti and Kurt Rothermund fell in three sets as they won the first one, 6-1, but lost the next two, 7-5, 6-4.

“They have two very strong doubles teams,” said Dunn, as the Big Blue fell to 10-4 overall.

Swampscott, who lost 4-1 to the Pioneers in the first meeting, are one division higher than Lynnfield as they are a Division 3 team while Lynnfield is in Division 4.

On May 18, the Pioneers beat Newburyport, 4-1, in a match played indoors at the Woburn Raquet Club due to the weather.

Levin won, 6-0, 6-2 while McCarthy won, 6-4, 6-0. Kasdon won, 6-4, 6-1, at third singles.

Sokop and Arkun lost at first singles, 6-2, 6-4 while Kudrimoti and Rothermund won with matching 7-5 scores.

“They are a strong team that gave us a run,” said Dunn, as the Pioneers improved to 9-0 in the Cape Ann League.

The Pioneers suffered their first defeat of the season on May 16 as they lost at home to St. John’s Prep, 5-0, in a non-league match.

The Division 1 Eagles are undefeated 11-0 and are the only team that has beaten the Pioneers in the regular season the last three years.

“That is a high-level, top-notch program,” said Dunn, as the Eagles have three players from Lynnfield including the Prokopis twins Jack and Luke.

Levin was out so McCarthy played first singles and he lost in three sets 6-3, 4-6 and 10-7 in a 10-point third set since the match was already decided at that point.

“He played really well,” said Dunn. “It would have been nice to see what would have happened had there been a normal third set.”

Arkun and Kasdon played second and third singles and both players lost, 6-0, 6-0.

Sokop and Slate LoPilato lost, 6-0, 6-0, while Kudrimoti and Rothermund also fell, 6-0, 6-0.

On May 15, the Pioneers beat Pentucket 5-0 at home as Lynnfield completed the season sweep over the Panthers.

Levin also missed this match as McCarthy won, 6-0, 6-1 at first singles. Kasdon won, 6-2, 6-0, at second singles while Andee Shieh won his season debut at third singles, 6-1, 6-0.

At first doubles, Kudrimoti and Rothermund won, 6-0, 6-0, while Matt Reinold and Josh Robins also won, 6-0, 6-0, at second doubles.

On May 14, the Pioneers beat Beverly, 5-0, at home in a non-league match.

“I was expecting a closer match but they were missing their second singles player,” said Dunn.

Levin and McCarthy both won, 6-0, 6-0 at first and second singles. Kasdon won, 6-1, 6-1, at third singles.

Artun and Sokop won, 6-0, 6-2 while Kudrimoti and Reinold won, 6-0, 6-2, at second doubles.

The Pioneers visit Rockport on May 22 and then go to North Reading the next day to wrap up the regular season.

Both of those matches will start at 3:30 p.m.

The seedings for the Division 4 state tournament will come out early next week. The Pioneers are ranked first in the MIAA power rankings.