Reigning Long Island Girls Soccer Champs Begin Title Defense

Record last year: 15-4-2 Overall, Long Island Class AA Champions

Head coach: Nick Grieco

Key players: GK Samantha Whitney, Mid Lauren Bellone, D Samantha Schindler, D Marissa Segreto

Key games: Home against Sachem East (9/11/10), home against East Islip (9/24/10), at Centereach (10/8/10)

The West Islip Varsity girls soccer team is set to begin a new season after winning the Long Island Class AA Championship for the first time since 1989 in thrilling fashion; a 1-0 triple-overtime victory over Massapequa in November.

Following that victory, the Lions' 2009 season came to an abrupt end with a tough 3-2 loss to John-Jay East Fishkill in the Class AA State Semifinal game.  And after an offseason in which tragedy struck a former teammate, these 21 girls will focus on team unity in order to repeat their past success in 2010.

Alexis Pilkington was a teammate and friend to many, and the girls who played with her last season are focusing on the positives that she brought to them before her passing in March. More information on a ceremony in Alexis' memory by the team will be available soon, but right now the team has bonded together and is ready for another great season.

"As a team, they're a tight knit group of girls that are supporting each other and staying very positive," head coach Nick Grieco said. "We have 21 girls on the team, and all 21 have to respect each other whether you're a starter or not.

"You're all pulling for each other so we go into every game knowing we have 21 girls on the sideline or on the field pulling for and believing in each other, so that's a huge foundation for our success."

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The 2010 Lions will be very young, but there are six seniors returning; starting keeper Samantha Whitney, Dana Calderone, Lauren Bellone, Samantha Schindler, Marissa Segreto and Colleen Lamberson.  Grieco will look to those girls and other returning starters for leadership in 2010.

"We have our senior goalie [Whitney], a four year starter and returning all county goalie, so we're definitely looking for her leadership," Grieco said. "Marissa is another player, our starting sweeper for the last two years, so we're looking for her and Samantha to take the reins…really step up the leadership role and get the younger kids on board our philosophy and team concept."

 Grieco believes in that team concept, and so do his players. They believe that with other teams, you have to focus on two or three players to stop, but that's not the case when you take the field against the Lions.

"When you play West Islip, you have to beat the whole team," Grieco said, "not just the 11 kids on the field. The kids really believe in that."

While many of the girls that move up from JV to varsity in 2010 aren't expected to see the field much, their contributions expand past the stat sheet.  They must get the starters game-ready.

"The biggest impact they have is the intensity they bring to practice to make the other players around them better," Grieco said.

The Lions has three goals this season, and thier first is coming together as a team. Taking part in this philosophy is necessary in making the other two goals--making the playoffs and finishing the season strong--possible.

"I always tell the girls the season is a marathon," Grieco said. "It's not always how you start the first mile it's how you end the last mile. You can be in the back of the pack in the beginning, but you want to be playing your best soccer going into the playoffs. The last two years we hit our stride in late October into November, so that's been working."