By MAUREEN DOHERTY
SENIOR GOALIE Miriam Wood (#55) turned away 25 shots by Winchester yesterday afternoon at Beasley Field. Shannon Livingston (#11) and Hayley Kaddaras (#20) help out on the play. The Warriors gave up three first half goals and dropped a 3-0 contest. (Donna Larsson Photo)
LYNNFIELD — The Pioneers wrapped up another successful week in the field hockey circuit, remaining undefeated by posting three wins and a tie.
In the process, the girls became the first team in the entire Cape Ann League to qualify for the state tournament when they picked up their ninth win of the season Oct. 1 by a score of 4-1 over Pentucket.
The Pioneers knew going into the game against Pentucket that a win or a tie would guarantee them a spot in the state tournament as they needed 18 points. Each win earns a team two points and each tie equals one point toward post-season qualification.
“We had 17 points going into that (game) and when we won we had 19 points and qualified,” Coach Mamie Reardon said. “And it’s the first time we’ve ever qualified so early. In 2007 and 2008, we qualified with maybe five or six games left. This year we had eight games left.”
Although the Pioneers had previously beaten the Sachems 5-1, it was still a tough game due to the strength of the teams competing in the Cape Ann League, which Reardon describes as fast with good stick work skills. “We came up big. I was very happy with the four goals we scored,” she said, adding that the first goal of the game was called back after it popped out.
“That was kind of hard. We definitely dominated play and Bailey (Fanikos) had a hat trick in that game and Kathleen Hamm also scored.”
Defense remains key to the team’s success, putting forth great performances. “My two backs, Allison Lyle and Lauren Guerra, are just playing great. And also sophomore Lilli Patterson at the sweep has really come on very strong for us. I’m very excited about that,” she said.
Senior Stefania DeAngelis also continues to be a key factor in the team’s success. “Stefania does some really smart things, taking the ball down on the right. She’s got quite a few assists because every time Bailey scores on a corner she gets credit for that because she passes it out. She inserts it in off the top of the circle for Bailey to stop and hit.”
This duo has combined for a terrific one-two punch for Lynnfield, with Fanikos leading the CAL in both goals scored with 17 and total points with 19 while DeAngelis leads the league in assists with 10 and is currently in second place overall in points with 12, edging out Masconomet’s Sophie Adams, who has 11 points (8 g, 3 a).
Stymie Generals 1-0
Two days earlier Lynnfield silenced Hamilton-Wenham on the road 1-0 for the team’s eighth overall win of the season. “It was a good game. Hamilton-Wenham did some nice things. They were tough. We were playing well, but we just couldn’t put that ball in,” after the first goal was scored, commented Reardon. The winning goal was scored by senior captain Fanikos at 13:49 of the first half.
Shut out Hornets
Last Friday, the Blue and Gold defeated large school rival North Reading by a score of 2-0 in their first home match on the new turf field.
This victory improved Lynnfield’s overall record to 10-0-1. Since it was a league game, it also enabled the team to remain in first place in the Cape Ann League Baker Division by improving that record to 9-0-1.
Tie M-E
The Pioneers finished up the week on the road Saturday at Manchester-Essex where they played the league’s other Hornets and turned a 2-0 deficit into a 2-2 tie to remain undefeated on the season. All four goals were scored in the first half.
“That really was our game to win and we just came up short, but not for any lack of trying. The girls were working their hearts out. Again, Lilli Patterson and Isabella Floramo, she’s a sophomore playing right mid, and Allison Lyle and Lauren Guerra, were just incredible.”
Lynnfield had defeated M-E 2-0 in the season opener, but this time, M-E struck first. “They scored on us twice. It was 2-0 20 minutes into the game. They scored 24:04 into the game and then they scored with 10 minutes left in the half. And then we scored at 7:46 and 3:23,” she said. Fanikos cut the lead to 2-1 and DeAngelis tied the game.
“We dug ourselves into a hole and then we dug ourselves out of it. And then we dominated the second half. We were all over their end and just could not find the back of the net. We had a stroke and we did not put it in the corner, so we ended up with a tie,” the coach said.
It marked the team’s second tie of the season and enabled Lynnfield to remain undefeated with a league record of 9-0-2 and an overall record of 10-0-2.
Upcoming games
Lynnfield traveled to Newburyport Tuesday (after press time) to take on the large school undefeated leader and heads to Georgetown on Columbus Day for a 10 a.m. game against the Royals. They’ll take on non-league Haverhill next Tuesday at 5:15 p.m.
