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Sports

Girls Volleyball Team Nearly Through An Amazing Season

The Lynnfield Pioneer girls' volleyball team record now stands at 16-0.

With just a handful of matches left in regular season play, the Pioneers’ Volleyball team has already proven that they are a force to contend with. Their 16-0 record has already qualified them for the state tournament and with wins against North Andover, Masco and North Reading, the team will likely have a strong performance in post season play.

Strong and Experienced Coaching

Coach Michelle Perrone leads the Division Three 3rd ranked team. This season is Perrone’s fourth with the Lynnfield Pioneers. Perrone herself played volleyball at St. Joseph’s College in Maine, where she started all four years as a right side hitter. She was recognized for her strength as a coach last year when she was named Cape Ann League/Northeast Conference Coach of the Year. Additionally, she was named as The Boston Globe Coach of the Year for Division 3.

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Work Hard, Play Hard

The team plays six days a week between games and practices. Perrone said that the team works on a variety of skills at practice. “Strong serving and good defense are important aspects of our success thus far,” Perrone added, “One of the challenges we face is being able to recover from mistakes/errors during a match as a team and playing with a continued intensity throughout the season.” Despite their already clear success as a team, the girls continue to push themselves to play better and stronger each day.

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The team came into the season with nine returning varsity players. Two of the returning players have been leading the team as captains—senior Julia Goldstein and senior Meghan Deighan. Goldstein has been a varsity starter for the past three years and has been recognized as a Cape Ann League/NEC All League and all-star player. Deighan is a second year varsity player, and began this season as a starter. Perrone said of their leadership ability, “Both girls bring their love for volleyball to the team and because of their experience, bring a strong leadership element to the team.” As players, “Julia will be a force to be reckoned with in all around play, dominating the net with her hitting and blocking and excellent passing and serving from the back row,” said Perrone, “ Meg adds more offense on the right side and continues to keep a positive team morale.”

Other strong players on the Pioneers team include seniors Erika Burgess, Liz Vo and Kelsey LeBlanc; and juniors Abby Norwood and Caroline Shannon. Burgess plays the libero position and adds stability to the team’s defense as a result of her strong passing ability, while Vo plays as a middle blocker. Norwood is a setter for the team and adds “a triple threat in the front row with her hitting and blocking,” said Perrone. In addition to returning talent, junior Amanda McQueen brings a lot of strength to the Pioneers as a setter.

A Team to Watch

A strong season such as the one the Pioneers are having now takes dedication and team spirit. Perrone said the majority of her players continue to play the sport competitively in the off-season, therefore they came into the Fall season ready to go. However, it is clear from their commitment to the sport that the girls will push harder each practice and each match. The Pioneers have attracted a lot of attention in the area with many fans coming out to watch them play.

The team will next play on Monday October 24th at 4 p.m. at North Andover. Their next home game is Wednesday, October 26th at 4 p.m. against Pope John XXIII High School.

 

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