High School Sports

Early success for Valley Stream girls

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After a season that saw the Valley Stream District’s girls’ lacrosse team pick up just one victory, it is off and running in 2012. With a 19-9 rout of West Hempstead on April 3, Valley Stream has won three consecutive games in Nassau Conference V. Senior Nicole Riggio and junior Deirdre Kearney picked up four goals apiece in the win.

Jessie Zwicker, in her first year as head coach, is pleased with the start. “I’m very happy with where we are at this point,” Zwicker said. “We’re trying to develop the program, get more girls interested in playing lacrosse at younger age, and get the numbers back to where they were before. The goal is to win the conference.”

Valley Stream has just 14 players on the varsity roster, and the junior varsity team’s numbers are low as well, but Zwicker isn’t focusing on the turnout. “What we don’t have in quantity, we make up for in quality. There’s a lot of talent at both the varsity and JV levels. The girls that are here come out and play hard each day.”

Valley Stream (3-1) lost the nucleus of its defense, but a rebuilt unit has looked solid in the early going. Seniors Kristina Dalce and Brianna Ricotta, and junior Tina Kang are an aggressive unit that checks well and forces turnovers. Freshman Vanesa Salinas rounds out a group that Zwicker believes is improving every day.

Sophomore Tatyanna Gregory returned in net for her second season with the varsity squad. Gregory is vocal and vivacious, and has the potential to be a solid goalkeeper, Zwicker said.

Senior defense wings Christine Rivera and Sarah Santos each have speed, endurance, scoring ability. Rivera, who is terrific at picking up groundballs, has 11 goals and two assists over the team’s first four games. Santos, who slides and boxes out well, has found the back of the net twice.

Riggio, one of the team’s captains, leads Valley Stream with 16 goals and six helpers. The fleet-footed attack wing controls the pace of the game on the offensive end, and hustles back to help out on defense. Sophomore center Kallie Dimas has eight goals, two assists, and 19 draw controls. Zwicker believes Dimas has a bright future on the lacrosse field.

Deirdre Kearney is considered the team’s most improved player. The junior captain is a selfless, team-first player. Kearney has eight goals and five assists so far. In a 17-4 win over Elmont, she tallied a goal and four assists. Senior Kim Riley is a terrific passer, and an aggressive player who leaves it all out on the field. Junior Katie Dauscher is also off to a good start, with seven goals and five assists.

Sophomore Tanisha Verneus is a first-year varsity player with tremendous potential. Zwicker sees Verneus moving to midfield in the future. Freshman Kristin Piteo is a hard-worker who brings outstanding energy to the field each time she’s called on.