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Sarah Mezini, who has manned the No. 1 singles position for the Lynnfield High tennis team for the past three years, has committed to UMass Amherst to continue her tennis career.
By Anne Marie Tobin
LYNNFIELD — Sarah Mezini signed a national letter of intent to play women’s tennis at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
The signing took place Thursday at Lynnfield High School, where Mezini has manned the No. 1 singles position for the past three years.
“I made the decision a couple of weeks ago and I am so excited to be able to play at UMass next year,” Mezini said. “The team is amazing and has players from all around the world, including Serbia, Spain and England. I already know a couple of girls on the team, so it’s not just local players by any means.
“I know I will be at the lower end to start, but hopefully I’ll be able to work my way up and make the adjustment to the college level. (The game) is definitely played at a quicker pace, and players are that much stronger, but I’m up for the challenge.”
Lynnfield coach Craig Stone believes Mezini has what it takes to make a transition to a Division 1 program.
“She plays with intensity and is so aggressive and really loves to hit the ball hard, so I do believe she is the type of player who will make the leap to that level. This is really the first opportunity for her to be able to hit against players who are better than she is every day,” he said. “She’s a hard worker and a very smart player as well, so this should be a great experience for her. Originally she thought she would be heading south, but then the full scholarship came along and that swayed her to UMass. She wants to study pre-med, and maybe take business as well, and UMass is strong in both those areas, so between athletics and academics, UMass was a great fit for her.”
Mezini said being a left-handed player factored positively in her favor during the recruiting process, which involved tennis showcases in Ft. Lauderdale and at Brandeis University.
“Being a lefty is a huge advantage in doubles, but it also is an advantage in singles,” she said. “It’s just a huge edge because you are hitting to backhands more than forehands and also the ball spins the opposite way, away from the court so it’s that much harder for opponents to get back in position. I know that UMass was definitely interested in having a lefty, so I guess it really helped make my game that much more attractive to them.”
Mezini burst on the scene as a freshman, taking over the No. 1 singles spot and establishing herself as a force not only in the Cape Ann League but state wide as well, helping to lead Lynnfield to the 2014 Division 3 championship. In the final against previously undefeated Notre Dame (Worcester), Mezini dropped the first two games in her match against Tori Oates, but stormed back, taking 12 of the next 13 games to stake Lynnfield to a 1-0 lead. Fellow freshman Katie Nevils clinched the match with a win at third singles that polished off a perfect season for the Pioneers, who finished 21-0.
Mezini, a captain-elect, is a three-time Cape Ann League all-star and a two-time CAL Player of the Year, winning the award as a sophomore in 2015 and as a junior in 2016. She has reached the quarterfinals of the MIAA North Sectional Tournament three times and has been the recipient of the Pioneers’ Outstanding Achievement Award for the past three seasons.
Known for her aggressive “take no prisoners” style of play, Mezini has compiled a record of 51-4 in team match play and an overall record (including tournament play) of 66-7.