Poirier & captains combine toughness, talent for MHS lacrosse

It has been a streaky season for the Methuen High School girls’ lacrosse team. At press time, their 10-8 record included a 4-game season-opening losing streak, followed by a 5-game winning streak, and a 4-game winning streak later in the year. Despite the ups and downs, the team is undefeated in the Merrimack Valley Conference earning their second-straight MVC title.

Head coach Aryanna Poirier, 29, now in her fourth year as head coach, talks about expectations coming in to the season.

“We graduated six senior starters last year, so I knew this would likely be somewhat of a rebuilding year,” she said. “I had confidence in the seniors we brought back and knew we would rely heavily on their leadership, but what really surprised me was how much our juniors and incoming freshmen stepped up. Their work ethic, commitment and willingness to grow helped shape the team we’ve become and exceeded my expectations.”

Poirier, a middle school special-education teacher, owes much of the team’s success to its character and personality.

“This group genuinely cares about one another and the sport of lacrosse,” she relates. “They love to have fun, but at the same time, they understood the challenge. With only 15 players on the roster and 12 on the field at a time, everyone knew they had to be committed, determined and willing to work hard.

“Winning an undefeated MVC title is an incredible accomplishment for our program. This is the fifth MVC championship in program history, but the first three titles in 2013, 2014 and 2023 were all shared championships. That makes last season and this season especially meaningful because they were our first two outright MVC titles.”

A member of MHS’ Class of 2015, Poirier was a 4-year varsity athlete and record-setter in lacrosse. She was the MVC Small Player of the Year as a senior and played in Norway after graduating. In addition, she was an assistant and interim head coach for the Rangers between 2021 and 2022, and has seen first-hand the growth of the program.

“Our program is still relatively young, having only started during the 2011–12 season,” says Poirier. “When the high school program was created, the youth program was started as well, and they’ve done an outstanding job. We welcome players of all levels, but having more experienced players coming in allows us to build beyond just the fundamentals and focus more on strategy, teamwork and the finer details of the game.”

She continues, “This program means so much to me because I’ve been part of it from the very beginning of my lacrosse journey. I’ve been fortunate enough to be part of every MVC title the program has earned, both as a player and now as a coach. At the core of my background in lacrosse is a deep love for the sport and an even deeper connection to this program and its growth over the years.”

As the State Tournament approaches, Poirier talks about the strengths and areas of improvement for her club: “One of the biggest strengths has been our chemistry. Along with that, the passion this group has for lacrosse, their resilience and determination have really stood out all season long.

“One area we need to continue improving is our confidence and consistency. At times this season, we’ve had stretches where some players are performing at a very high level while others may be having an off day. Our focus now is making sure we’re all playing confidently, trusting the work we’ve put in throughout the season, and putting together complete team performances at the same time.”

Poirier calls her captains, junior and senior defenders Quinn LaFlamme and Gracye Neel, senior midfielder Grace Ricupero and senior attacker Hanane Aboutoui “the heart of this team.”

In addition, she points to freshman Eva Comeau as a player who has stepped up for the team: “Eva is third on the team in scoring with 33 goals and 11 assists for 44 total points, but what stands out even more is her work ethic and consistency. There’s never a moment where she isn’t giving full effort, and as a midfielder she contributes in every area of the game.”

Effort is a label that seems to fit Poirier’s entire roster: “What has stood out most … is the girls’ work ethic. They’re constantly asking questions about adjustments we can make to gain even a small edge. That level of focus and buy-in makes a huge difference.”

Methuen will most likely host a postseason play-in game against a lower-seeded team and, if successful, would probably then face a top-5 seeded opponent.

“That is obviously a very difficult challenge,” says Poirier. “But I’m never going to count this team out because they’ve continued to prove people wrong all season. If they can play the way they’re capable of and leave everything on the field every game, I’ll be proud of whatever the outcome ends up being.”

Lax leaders

When I asked Coach Poirier about her four team captains, she stated, “Even before the season began, they were putting in extra work, whether it was playing club lacrosse, organizing captain’s practices or finding ways to stay together despite how long the snow lasted. During the season, they’ve continued to set the tone every day. They are vocal leaders who constantly keep the team focused during drills. More importantly, they’ve created a very supportive environment where the emphasis is always on growth and development. They consistently lift up both each other and their teammates.”

Senior midfielder Grace Ricupero is heading to Southern New Hampshire University this fall to study psychology and play soccer. She has also left the door open to play college lacrosse next year and talks about her current team’s strengths: “Our strongest quality has been effort. We lost seven strong starters from last season and did an incredible job of welcoming in new players and bonding with one another so we could build chemistry on the field. There have been multiple games where even if we didn’t win, we still came back from five or more goals. It was incredible to be a part of this.”

In addition to effort, the 2026 Ranger lax crew also has an abundance of grace, even just in name only. Senior defender Gracye Neel talks about the team’s performance and attitude: “The younger girls have stepped up and really shown out this season. They have grown so much over the season, and so has the entire team. Our team is so bright and lively. We show up every day ready to work with a smile on our faces, and it really motivates us. I’m so proud of us winning the MVC two times in a row, especially with such a young team. It really shows our program’s potential for the future and foreshadows our success.”

Defender Quinn LaFlamme is the only junior captain on the team and has already been tabbed to continue in that role next season. The Science National Honor Society student with a 4.6 GPA gives her definition of leadership: “My role is to make sure no one ever hangs their head. I try to be the first girl to cheer someone up after a bad play and the loudest to cheer on a good play. Some goals that I have set as a captain is to establish a welcoming environment from the start. Very rarely do you see me without a smile on my face. I can confidently say that I have a close relationship with every single player on this team. You can have 12 great athletes, but if they don’t play well together then we won’t accomplish our goal.”

LaFlamme says that her position as a defender is in line with her captainship: “The defense’s mistakes are the most noticeable, and it’s easy to hang your head when a goal is scored. After every goal, we take accountability for the mistake. We don’t sugar-coat things. We call out the mistake and we fix it. That’s the best way to learn. The strengths of this team are our communication, heart and momentum. We aren’t the most consistent team but we show grit, drive and heart. Once we are moving, we are in our groove. These girls hustle and hustle no matter what.”

Hanane Aboutoui is another team captain. The senior attacker will be studying nursing and playing lacrosse at Emmanuel College in Boston next year. The impact of Coach Poirier on her is apparent: “I think her coaching style can be considered tough love. She pushes every one of us to live up to our fullest potential. When you ask her to give it to you straight, she will, which I appreciate because it helped me get to where I am now as a player.

“Our practices are focused and structured. We run through a standard warmup, drill what we lacked in previous performances, play 7v7, and condition. We stay moving. I feel like every girl is constantly pushing themselves to fight for their spot. It’s amazing to have a team that passionate,” she said. “Methuen lacrosse is one of the most family-feeling programs I’ve ever been a part of, and I am so incredibly thankful for these people, teammates and coaches.”

John Molori is an author, columnist, and a 2011 inductee into the Methuen Athletic Hall of Fame. Facebook: John Molori, Twitter @MoloriMedia. Email molorimedia@gmail.com