Hewlett starting to make strides

Coming off back-to-back shutout losses, Hewlett’s girls’ soccer team got its offense untracked and into the win column for the first time against a Conference AB-IV foe with a 5-3 victory over visiting Carey on Sept. 18.

Senior Jolie Green scored twice and sophomore Katie Korin added a goal and two assists to lead the way, and senior goalkeeper Karlie Stolls made 10 saves.

“We moved the ball well and finished,” Hewlett coach Gil Kreiss said. “We played with more energy than we did in the previous two games and created a lot of scoring chances. It’s a confidence-builder.”

A week off between games didn’t stop the Lady Bulldogs, who finished a game below .500 in 2016, from getting some momentum going. They returned to action on Monday and recorded a 2-0 victory at Roslyn behind goals by Korin and junior Alyssa Rotblut and eight saves from Stolls. “We’ve played well on turf,” Kreiss said after the record improved to 3-3-1 overall and 2-2-1 in AB-IV.

Green, Stolls and Michelle Pham are the only seniors on Hewlett’s roster of 26. The program is without a JV for the first time in nearly 15 years, Kreiss said, and the varsity is carrying about a half-dozen more bodies than usual as a result.

Stolls, a three-year starter in the cage, earned All-Class honors last season and continues to keep the Lady Bulldogs in every game, Kreiss said. “She’s phenomenal stopping anything low and she’ll out-work anyone,” he explained. “She also has a knack for stopping breakaways. She anticipates well and cuts down angles.”

The defense in front of Stolls, who stopped a breakaway late in the Roslyn game to preserve the shutout, is getting a boost with the return of sophomore fullback Katie Stupak, a returning starter who was injured in the season opener. She brings speed and a physical style, Kreiss said. Pham plays stopper and is an old-school defender who blocks shots and gets in opponents’ faces.

Junior Alana Schrager is a hard-working fullback, and freshman sweeper Alessandra Borsellino is a student of the game with keen instincts. Pham and Borsellino had assists in Monday’s victory.

In the midfield, the Lady Bulldogs look for Korin and junior Samantha Panzarella to set the tone. They started together in the center of the field a year ago. Korin earned All-Conference honors last season and has a non-stop motor and a high level of skill. “Katie’s as talented a player I’ve coached and as modest as they come,” Kreiss noted. “She does it all. She makes offensive runs and supports the defense.”

Kreiss uses a rotation at outside midfield and forward to keep legs fresh and try to maintain pressure. Juniors Mia Morgan and Carly Reiter, freshman Ariella Ziarno and eighth-grader Elizabeth Zemlyansky all contribute.

At forward, the speedy Green leads the team in goals with 5. Rotblut has starting experience and a solid skill set, and freshmen Fallon Zemlyansky and Tori Auerbach are also seeing quality minutes.