Quiet leader Mikaela Mooney lifts BBP girls with 8 points

Mikaela Mooney will direct most of her answers back to the team. Despite the fact that she either scored or assisted on eight of the team’s 11 goals, the standout Bayport-Blue Point attack would rather refocus the attention on her teammates and the future goals of the Phantoms.

Bayport-Blue Point defeated host Mount Sinai, 11-7, in a matchup of two of the top programs in Suffolk Division II girls lacrosse on Friday.

“We knew this was a very strong team so we’ve been working hard, looking at their film and really working on our new plays,” Mooney said. “The looks were there and I just got (the ball) there.”

Mooney, a senior attack, was instrumental in the Phantoms’ success from the opening draw. She finished with three goals and five assists.

“She’s a dynamic attacker,” coach Ryan Gick said. “I don’t know if she gets the recognition she deserves, but I think she earned it today.”

Mooney, committed to Albany, is one of nine seniors with eight already planning to play college Division-I lacrosse. With a bevy of experienced playmakers, the Phantoms often focus on working the ball to get the best shot. Mooney’s five assists were pivotal toward turning those into goals.

“I just feel like we’ve been working really hard at practice and we keep moving the ball around a lot,” Mooney said. “We’re really determined to work harder and get that Long Island championship and go as far as possible as a team.”

Bayport-Blue Point (2-0) led 8-3 at halftime and opened an 11-3 lead before Mt. Sinai scored the game’s final four goals, including three in the final 2:20 of the contest.

Haydin Eisfeld, a senior, had two goals and an assist and her sophomore sister Aubrie, had three goals and an assist. Alexa Spallina had three goals and four assists for Mt. Sinai (1-1).

Bayport-Blue Point won the last three Suffolk Class C titles but lost 8-6 to Manhasset, the eventual state champions, in the Long Island Class C final last season. The Phantoms haven’t forgotten that feeling and although they don’t want to get ahead of themselves, they certainly picture being back in that championship environment.

“This is our last run at it,” Haydin said. “And we’re going all out.”

“We have a long-term memory for sure,” Gick said. “It’s still sitting there in the memory bank but it’s still the end of March. We have a long way to go just to get back to a playoff position and then we’ll go from there. But if we look too far ahead, we’ll make a mistake along the way and we won’t be there.”