Conference title for Hewlett

It was a banner season for Hewlett’s girls’ soccer program.

Junior Casey Levy iced the team’s first conference championship since 1993 when she scored her first-ever varsity goal with seven seconds remaining to lift the Lady Bulldogs over Great Neck North, 1-0, in the AB-5 regular-season finale on Oct. 20. Senior goalkeeper Nathalie Nidetch made five saves on the way to recording her sixth shutout of the year.

“We went into the last game needing at least a tie,” Hewlett coach Gil Kreiss said. “It was really nice to win, and to win it the way we did made it very special. Casey hit a looping shot into the top corner.

“I’ll never forget how way the girls on the field and bench reacted,” he added. “It was great. They were really excited, and so was I.”

In his 15th season as coach, Kreiss guided the Lady Bulldogs (9-4-3 overall) to a conference mark of 8-1-1 and an appearance in the Nassau Class A playoff tournament. They were seeded No. 15 and lost in the opening round at No. 2 Wantagh, 1-0, on Oct. 24, on a second-half goal by Jordyn Klapper. “We held them well defensively, but we weren’t able to do anything in transition,” Kreiss said.

Nidetch wrapped up a stellar four-year career as the starting varsity keeper with 10 saves. She only allowed three goals over the last six games. “You don’t replace someone like Nathalie,” Kreiss said. “She’s a pretty special player.”

One of the more satisfying shutouts of Nidetch’s career, Kreiss said, came Oct. 8 when Hewlett avenged its only conference defeat by knocking off Locust Valley, 1-0, in the rematch. She had nine saves, and sophomore Hassena Lamounsey scored the game’s lone goal. “The girls knew that game held the key to our season,” Kreiss said. “It was huge because Locust Valley beat us 3-1 at their place.”

Defensively, sophomore Gillian Moser, freshman Michelle Pham, and senior Anna Maiorano led the way. Sophomore Katherine Sossan, who spent a lot of time at forward and scored three goals, senior Ariel Purnsrian, junior Natalie Cohen, sophomore Samantha Cohen, and sophomore Erin Schecter also contributed to the success in the back row.