Experience a key for East Meadow

East Meadow got a good measure of where it stands in the pecking order of Nassau County girls’ soccer with a 1-1 tie against Massapequa in their Conference AA-I opener on Sept. 8. The Lady Jets more than held their own against the Lady Chiefs, the reigning New York State champions. 

Junior forward Alexis Vaz scored East Meadow’s goal in the first half on a loose-ball scramble after a failed clear attempt by the Lady Chiefs. 

“We had a nice game against Massapequa,” East Meadow coach Adam Hananel said. “I think their confidence is pretty high. I think they know we have a special group and believe they can play with anyone when they play their game.”

In the Lady Jets 4-3-3 alignment, Vaz is joined up front by juniors Alexandra Bagnell and Julie Fitzsimmons as well as senior co-captain Isabella Fuduli. Fitzsimmons can also slide back to midfield and consistently displays a knack for not only finding the ball but coming down with it on plays in the air. 

The midfield is led by a pair of senior co-captains—Nikki Keicher and Toula DeLeon—and a freshman, Melanie Navas. Keicher is a hard-nosed athlete with a never-ending motor, while DeLeon has made major strides as an offensive playmaker. Navas has good field vision and can finish with either foot around the net, or far from it, already becoming a scoring threat on free kicks.

The backline, like the rest of the team, combines a wealth of experience with some newcomers sprinkled in. Senior co-captain Nicole Abate, senior Allison Clark and juniors Megan Bender, Gabriella Ullo and Danielle Michelini are part of a defense that also includes sophomore Nicole Leary and Vittoria Fuduli. The unit showed its mettle in limiting Massapequa’s potent offense to just one goal. “They were real solid,” Hananel said. “They communicated very well and stayed organized the entire game and were winning head balls.”

That experience was particularly handy with junior Alyssa Fama just two games in to her first season as the starting keeper. Following a two-year run on JV, Fama turned in a strong performance in her first Conference AA-I battle. “She was solid and did her job,” Hananel said. “To have your first conference game against the defending state champs [is tough]. She’s quick off the line, tough and not afraid to make a slide tackle or a challenging play.”

Of the 21 players on the roster, just three are underclassmen, and many of the returning players have been along for the recent ride that includes an appearance in the semifinals of the Nassau Class AA playoffs last season and a quarterfinal appearance in 2012. “It’s a talented group, and what’s even better is that this is a good group of girls and it’s fun,” Hananel said.

The Lady Jets host Calhoun, a finalist in the Class AA playoffs the last three years, on Friday at 4:30 p.m.