East Meadow’s girls lacrosse team has experienced high highs and low lows with a 4-10 overall record, but the Jets collectively decided that it’s not over until it’s over.
“We’ve had ups and downs throughout the whole season, but we’re trying to bounce back, finish out our season strong and hopefully make a playoff run,” coach Nicolette Tortorici said.
East Meadow leans on its senior class.
“The good thing is that we have a huge senior class that has been super positive and they don’t want their season to come to an end just yet, so they’ve been leading the pack with their passion and their determination to really have this season go as long as it can,” Tortorici said.
Those seniors include captain Kayla Lederer, who packs a lot of punch, spread-heading the offense with 29 goals.
“She is a three-sport athlete and she excels in all three,” Tortorici said. “She’s really just unbelievable to watch, but she is a bright light, she is a huge role model to all the girls and she is the voice of reason on the field. Everyone sees how much passion she plays with and they try and follow in her footsteps.”
Sharing the captaincy is Maddie Reger, whom Tortorici labeled as another voice on the field. “[Reger] is kind of the coach’s go-to,” the coach explained. “She loves the game so much and you can really tell that she wants us to get better each day.”
Detailed as a standout ahead of being a captain is Crystal Cruz, who has been an attacker on the varsity unit for three years. Tortorici highlighted Cruz’s ability to read a field’s defense and share the ball most efficiently, so even though she has one goal and one assist this season, her off-ball movements are what make her invaluable.
“She is such a safe player, anytime the ball is in her stick, the girls can take a breath of fresh air,” she said. “She plays with so much heart and hustle.”
To spread the limelight a little bit: junior Kate Barnett has been exceptional according to Tortorici. A captain as well, Tortorici termed Barnett as a force on the field.
“She has a way about her, that everybody knows that she means business,” she said. “She’s very hard on herself and that’s because she’s so determined to win, she’s such a competitor, and I think a lot of girls see that and they also try to compete to the level that she does.”
Even younger, there’s sophomore Ariana Facenda, who has 24 goals, including a pair in an 8-5 win over Mineola April 27. “She has been so, so helpful in our midfield, in both transition and getting goals,” Tortorici said. “She plays with such confidence and poise, and it’s really been great to see her fill a role on the field as a 10th grader.”
As the talent gets younger, like shining freshman defender Isabella Oliveira, Tortorici said it’s a combination of a strong work ethic and even stronger support team: those very same seniors.
“As a freshman it’s pretty intimidating to have a starting spot, but she is small but mighty,” Tortorici explained. “She plays with so much fierce energy and she really is able to hold her own on the defensive end, and I think a lot of that comes from feeling supported by the upperclassmen who play defense with her.”