William Floyd Girls' Varsity Lacrosee Team Off To Strong Start

MASTIC BEACH, NY — The William Floyd girls' varsity lacrosse team is off to a stellar start.

With only one win in 2017, the Colonials already have doubled that total, and are looking to build off of their improved success, the district said.

“We definitely want to improve on last year’s record,” said first-year varsity head coach Paul Vassallo. “We want to see good team play, sportsmanship and healthy attitudes.”

The team wowed when, on Monday, April 9, they bested Hampton Bays by a score of 14 to 3. The Colonials were led by senior Cassidy Connelly, junior Brianna Ditillo, and sophomore Keanna Sarmiento as they all scored three goals in the win. Junior Emily Mehnert also contributed to the all-around team effort with her team-leading six assists, the district said.

“I think that it’s nice that we have a very unselfish offense that likes to share the ball,” Vassallo said. “We don’t rely on any one player to get the job done.”

Agoal during his first year as head coach was ensuring that the team bonded, helping to develop good chemistry both on and off the field, Vassallo said.

“We have held team breakfasts and I have had the girls do brag sheets to help build their confidence before each game," he said.

The team also took a field trip on April 4 to watch the number one nationally ranked Stony Brook girls lacrosse team play. One of the Seawolves' top players is William Floyd alumna Courtney Murphy, who recently broke the NCAA career goals' record with her 290th career goal, a release said.

“They were able to see the fundamentals of the game, the patience of play and what makes a great team play great every game," Vassallo noted.

Watching Murphy, a local girl, achieve success with a top college team also demonstrates to the students that they can achieve anything with dedication and hard work.

The season also marks the return of the William Floyd youth lacrosse program.

Patch courtesy photo.