THE LHS girls’ lacrosse team returns plenty of talented players this season including last year’s leading scorer, sophomore Taylor Valiton (16) and senior captains Maddie Daigle, Kiera Mallett, Charlotte Radulski and Chloe Considine. (File Photo)

By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI

LYNNFIELD — Last season, the Lynnfield High girls’ lacrosse team reached the MIAA Division 4 state tournament as they lost at Mount Greylock in the opening round to end the year at 5-14 overall.

In the Cape Ann League, they went 1-11.

Six seniors from that team graduated including Anna Kaminski, who was a Cape Ann League Second-Team All-Star. They also lost Sarah Powers, who was Cape Ann League Second-Team All-Stars, as she transferred to Phillips Academy. Powers, as a freshman attacker last spring, had a team-high 22 assists to go with 32 goals for 54 points as she was third on the team in goals.

When second-year head coach Christina Serra opening practice on March 20, she welcomed back 10 veterans.  Four of them are this year’s senior captains. Those four players are Maddie Daigle (midfielder- defenseman), Kiera Mallett (defenseman), Charlotte Radulski (midfielder) and Chloe Considine (attacker).

The three other seniors back are Sarah DeGennaro (goalie), Avery Bird (midfielder- attacker),and Isabella Mendese (defenseman).

Maddie Mastrangelo is the lone junior back and she is an attacker.

The two 10th-graders returning are Taylor Valiton (midfielder) and Kayla Santo (defenseman- midfielder). Valiton was the team’s top scorer as she netted 39 goals.

“The first three days of practice were for tryouts. Then on Sunday they went to North Andover High to participate in a Jamboree where they took on Pentucket, Methuen, Dracut, Haverhill, Georgetown and Beverly in several mini-games. It was good to be able to play all of those teams,” said Serra.

This season, the Pioneers will play one extra regular-season game as they will play 19. They have 12 Cape Ann League contest and seven non-league games.

“Our goal is to build upon what we did last year,” said Serra. “We also hope to make the states again.”

The first two games of the year are both at home and are against non-league opponents.

On March 30, the Pioneers face Wilmington at 4 p.m. They then welcome Gloucester on April 3 with that game starting a little later at 4:30 p.m.