Lynbrook nears conference title

The Lynbrook Owls girls’ lacrosse team is flying high as they enter the final stretch of the regular season.

The Owls (10-2, 6-0 Conference II) have won eight straight at press time following a heartbreaking 12-11 overtime loss at Syosset on April 1 and control their own destiny for a division title with four games remaining. They are averaging just over 14 goals a game during the streak while yielding just seven.

The offensive production hasn’t been much of a surprise, but coach Vin Tetro has been pleased with the progression of his defensive corps of senior Tyla Vuotto, junior Jesse Bodian, sophomore Gabriella Meszaros and seniors Casey Stradowski and Teresa O’Neill.

“We have a lot of balance,” Tetro said. “On offense, we have so many weapons that it’s hard to defend us and also the defense is really coming along. We have basically three midfielders back there that changed from midfield to defense and they’re playing lights out lately.”

On April 28, Lynbrook scored 12 times in the first half en route to a 19-9 rout of Friends Academy. Mimi Berkowitz had a season-high five goals and leading scorer Sara Curley, Ava Padilla, and Brooke Mazzei each added four as the Owls recorded at least 12 goals in a half for the fourth time this spring.

Senior midfielder Kaelynn O’Brien was the breakout star two days earlier by scoring six times as Lynbrook held off Locust Valley 8-7. She then notched her 20th goal of the season against Friends. “Kaelynn O’Brien took over that Locust Valley game,” Tetro said. “That was a dominating D1 performance.”

Senior middie Caityblu Cavassa is winning draws at a high percentage Tetro said and has contributed 15 goals and 17 assists.

Mazzei has had a strong sophomore season and her fourth goal against Friends was her 30th of 2023. The midfielder netted 18 during her freshman campaign. “When she steps on the field, she’s usually the best athlete on the field,” Tetro said. “She flies through the midfield. She’s very, very fast [and] very tough. She knows how to get to the ball. She’s a scorer.”

The defense has helped ease the workload of first-year goaltender Mary Costello. Tetro said some of her over 60 saves this season have been huge, including the nine against Locust Valley.

“When we need a big save, she’s been getting them,” Tetro said. “She’s been seeing the ball really well and correcting mistakes as she’s been going along. A couple of times she had to come up with a big save in that [Locust Valley] game late in the game and she did.”

The Owls hosted Farmingdale to begin the week and visit Oceanside on Thursday before finishing the season next week at home against East Meadow and Plainedge. Lynbrook’s quest for a county title has fallen short in recent seasons and Tetro sees this year’s run as another huge challenge.

“In my opinion, we have the hardest bracket on Long Island, the C bracket,” he said. “We have North Shore playing unbelievable lacrosse right now, then you drop in Manhasset, Wantagh. It’s a tough conference. We have work to do.”