Lynbrook clicking on all cylinders

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The Lynbrook girls’ lacrosse team could have easily lost its confidence after suffering heartbreaking defeats to the top two teams in the conference to start the season. But instead, the Owls turned a negative into a positive and have since reeled off eight straight wins to remain within striking distance in the division.

Lynbrook allowed a goal with 32 seconds left in the season opener against Seaford on March 26 before falling in overtime at Bethpage three days later. But the Owls realized that they could hang tough against the top teams in Conference II and have since run the table to remain two games behind those two undefeated teams at press time.

“Everything’s rolling right now,” coach Vincent Tetro said. “We’re really clicking on all cylinders. We have nine new starters on the field, so those two one-goal losses to the two top teams in the conference…it was eye-opening for us and it showed that we can play with anybody.”

The team realized their potential even more with an 11-10 win at Syosset, a Conference I team, on April 19. Mimi Berkowitz, Sara Curley and Kaelynn O’Brien had three goals apiece and the Owls held on after leading 8-4 at halftime.

“Now that they have this confidence, they’re playing at a level where they’re not afraid of anything,” Tetro said.

The offense has not lost a beat despite losing 55-goal scorer Jenna Hendrickson to graduation last spring and has scored in double digits 25 straight times dating to the start of the 2021 campaign. They are averaging 14 goals a game this season, with 12 different players finding the back of the net.

After a slow start, Berkowitz has rediscovered her scoring touch with 17 goals in her last four games, including six in Lynbrook’s 17-12 triumph over St. John the Baptist last Friday. Her heroics from last year’s playoffs continued this season, when she netted the tying goal with just under three minutes remaining and the winner with 1:26 left to help the Owls beat Farmingdale 10-9 on April 6.

“She’s been getting stronger and stronger each game,” Tetro said. “She’s getting confidence back and she’s played lights out.”

Berkowitz and Curley share the team lead with 27 goals. Senior Grace Bodian has three hat tricks this season as part of her 19 goals, freshman midfielder Brooke Mazzei has impressed with her 10-goal start and the junior midfield tandem of Caityblu Cavassa and Kaelynn O’Brien have combined for 35 tallies.

Defense was the biggest question mark heading into the season, but Tetro said the unit is been much improved from last year and has held the opposition to 10 goals or less six times. Freshman Gabriella Meszaros has played above her age and is a strong 1-on-1 defender and senior Kyla Nembach contributes on the back end from her midfield position. Tyla and Olivia Vuotto have also provided strong play in front of senior goaltender Drue Marchetta, who had a season-high tying eight saves in the Syosset win.