The week in girls lacrosse: Syosset tops No. 2 GC and more

Newsday’s Kenny DeJohn recaps a busy week of Long Island girls lacrosse, starting with a major upset and finishing with a few notables from the start of the 2018 spring season.

Syosset upsets No. 2 Garden City

The Syosset Braves are off to a hot start, posting a 4-0 record after defeating Garden City, 11-10, on Tuesday.

Garden City was ranked No. 2 in the country, according to US Lacrosse, before sophomore Kendall Halpern’s goal with seven seconds left completed the comeback from a 10-5 deficit early in the second half. The Braves trailed 9-5 at halftime, but coach Lauren LoMonaco’s message was all about body language.

“It was their attitudes,” she said. “First half, they were flat. Before every game we do a chalk talk about the scouting, then they went out there and I don’t know if they were intimidated . . . but I think their legs were tired from the day before [against Oceanside].”

LoMonaco’s solution was to make some positional changes, including moving Halpern from the midfield to attack. She scored four goals, including two in which she was diving to the ground.

“This game, finally, was like her breakout game,” LoMonaco said. “I moved her to attack, and that’s when she started scoring the goals. She didn’t have to worry about having so many jobs. She got the ball, and she just went to cage.”

Senior Taylyn Stadler had five assists and has thrived for the Braves. Nicole Rizzo and Sofia Afkham have also been integral to their early success.

“In school, every teacher congratulated them,” LoMonaco said of the aftermath of the win over Garden City (2-1). “They said people were coming up to them they didn’t even think liked sports. They felt so good about their hard work, and I felt that was so important. But I’m telling them to stay humble and hard working. We can’t let it get to our heads.”

Notable wins

• Wantagh defeated Cold Spring Harbor on Thursday, 7-6, on Catherine Russo’s free-position goal with two minutes remaining. First-year coach Lauren Schwalje, a 2015 graduate of Georgetown who also played at St. Anthony’s, earned her first win. Wantagh (1-2) received three goals from Kayla Conway.
• Manhasset, the No. 17 team in the nation, according to US Lacrosse, defeated Massapequa, the No. 16 team, on Tuesday, 11-8. With Maryland-bound senior Madison Rielly out for the season, Kelly Trotta stepped up to score three goals. Jackie Gatti netted four goals for Massapequa, but Manhasset (2-1) used seven scorers to earn a home victory.
• Middle Country, the defending state Class A runner-up, graduated a significant chunk of its scoring — namely North Carolina star Jamie Ortega, the state’s all-time leading scorer — but Sydney Juvelier got the Mad Dogs into the win column with her overtime goal against Smithtown West on Tuesday. Jennifer Barry had three goals and two assists in the 9-8 win.

Standout performers

• Long Island’s leading scorer is Wheatley’s Sami Rothstein, who already has 29 goals. Add her six assists, and she leads L.I. with 35 points. She scored 14 goals (fourteen!) against Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK on March 19.
• Commack’s Katie Kelly and Casey Hearns each have 18 points this season, tied with Babylon’s Emma Ward for tops in Suffolk. Both members of Commack’s Suffolk Class AA girls basketball championship team, they’ve led the girls lacrosse team to a 3-0 start.
• Comsewogue is 0-2, but not because of goalkeeper Brianna Blatter. The Bryant-bound senior made 22 saves on 30 shots in an 8-7 loss to West Babylon on Wednesday.

Next week’s games to watch

• Tuesday, April 3 — Rocky Point at Long Beach, 1 p.m.
• Tuesday, April 3 — St. Anthony’s at Cold Spring Harbor, 10:30 a.m.
• Friday, April 6 — Ward Melville at Middle Country (at Centereach), 10 a.m.
• Saturday, April 7 — Notre Dame Prep (Maryland) at Mount Sinai, 11 a.m.