Rockets Sweep in First Round of Spring Playoffs
May 30, 2025 (Updated May 31 and June 2)
• Everything you need to know heading into the postseason, as well as updates from the first round of action.
Six different Needham teams — boys and girls lacrosse, boys and girls tennis, boys volleyball and softball — qualified for the MIAA Division One State Tournament this spring and in the first week, every team won their first games.
Boys and girls tennis kicked off the postseason this week, each dominating their opponents and advancing to the second round. On Tuesday, May 27, the No. 8 seeded boys defeated No. 25 Braintree 5-0 at home. They will host No. 9 Shrewsbury in the next round on Monday, June 2, at 4:15 p.m. The following day, the No. 9 seeded girls swept No. 24 Central Catholic. They will go on the road to face No. 8 Winchester in the Round of 16, also on Monday, June 2 at 4:15 p.m.
The other four teams hosted their first-round games on Saturday, May 31.
No. 15 Girls Lacrosse kicked off the action on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Memorial Field against No. 18 Acton-Boxborough. The team finished the season with an 11-6 record and has been improving throughout the season under new head coach Lindsay Hope. After back and forth play throughout the first quarter, Needham took their first lead of the game on an eight-meter shot from Emmie Verville late in the second. AB tied the game at nine early in the fourth, but the Rockets took a two goal lead with 1:58 left in the game. Acton-Boxborough netted one more goal to make the score 11-10, but Needham’s defense held on to secure the win. With the victory, the team advances to the second round of the postseason, where they head to No. 2 Wellesley, Wednesday, June 4th at 4pm.
Following the girls’ game, No. 13 Boys Lacrosse hosted No. 20 Arlington, also at Memorial Field, winning 9-5 in some extremely windy and rainy conditions. So much so that we had to stop our Needham Channel recording in the third quarter. The Rockets are hoping to make noise in the postseason once again, following their incredible run to the state championship game last year. They enter the tournament with a four-game win streak, anchored by Tommy Peabody in net. In Saturday’s game, Needham fell behind 4-1 at the end of the first quarter, but outscored the Spy Ponders 8-1 the rest of the way. The Rockets now advance to the Round of 16, where they will visit #4 Andover on Wednesday, June 4th at 7pm, looking for another big upset, just like they did to Lincoln-Sudbury and Acton-Boxborough last year.
No. 3 Boys Volleyball played at the same time as Boys Lacrosse, hosting No. 30 Woburn Memorial in the A-Gym. Despite dropping the most regular season games in a season since 2011, they picked up key wins over No. 2 Natick and No. 4 Newton North, proving that they are still a powerhouse and contender in the postseason. The Rockets won a close first set against Woburn 25-22, but lost the second in another close one, 25-23. Woburn stuck around in the third set before Head Coach Dave Powell’s team pulled away with a 25-21 win, before finishing with a win in the fourth to advance to the Round of 16, where they will host #14 Lowell on Tuesday, June 3rd at 5pm. The Needham Channel will be recording a broadcast for that game, which will air later in the week.
No. 13 Softball rounded out Saturday’s action against No. 20 Whittier Regional Technical Vocational High School at McLeod Field at 6 p.m. The Rockets put together another nice season, finishing at 12-5, behind strong pitching and explosive offensive performances. They fell behind 3-0, with all three runs coming in the top of the third inning, but came storming back with a five run fourth. With two outs in the bottom of the inning, Maddie Navales drew a walk, then took third after a throwing error on her stolen base attempt. Maricel Pucillo knocked her home on an RBI single for Needham’s first run, then took second on a stolen base. Annie Silverman was the next batter, and drove Pucillo home on a single. Another walk made it first and second for Kaitlyn Cheng, who drove home both runs on a double to left, giving the Rockets their first lead of the game. Kelsey Pittman completed the five run inning with an RBI single of her own, knocking in Cheng, who picked up the complete game victory in the circle. With the win, Needham advances to meet #4 Attleboro on the road in the next round on Tuesday, June 3rd at 4pm.
Stay up to date on the Rockets’ playoff journey by following our Twitter (X) page: TNC_Sports
Check out these postgame comments from Kaitlyn Cheng and Kelsey Pittman, after Needham Softball’s first round playoff win:
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Watch highlights from boys and girls lacrosse, as well as softball, in this week’s Rockets Roundup:
