New look for Glen Cove

Glen Cove’s girls’ lacrosse team return from a 4-7 (3-5 Conference V) record with a brand-new look, as the majority of the 2017 roster has graduated and moved on from head coach Nicole Sileo’s group as she looks to some of her younger talent to give this team a fresh identity.

“We had 12 seniors graduate from our program last year, and all of those seniors had started for us,” Sileo said. As a new season begins with a 1-2 start (1-0 in conference), yet with a very impressive win over Sewanhaka, she is hesitant to say this is a rebuilding year. “But I wouldn’t say we’re rebuilding now,” she noted. “We’re always working hard, and now we’re just looking to some of the younger girls to gain experience.”

Of those girls leading the way now, a few saw some varsity time during last year’s campaign. Trinity Hudson and Gabby Schettino both played significant roles in 2017 and combined for nearly 20 points on the season, despite not being the leading options.

Sileo is extremely pleased with the progress Hudson has made in her new role. “She has been practicing taking the draw all offseason, and she is doing excellent,” Sileo said. The coach also lauded the conditioning and attitude of Hudson. “It’s nice having Trinity as our midfielder because she’s always moving; she never gets tired,” Sileo said. “She’s been working extremely hard.”

Sophomore Schettino continues her progression in her lacrosse career with a leading role on a varsity. “She currently has the most points on the team and she is such a nice kid,” Sileo said. “She also really gets after it on the practice field.”

Captains Rebecca Tan and Grace Tenke also comprise the nucleus of this new-look Lady Big Red. Tan, who has started the young season with two goals and two assists, is an outwardly vocal leader for Sileo and rallies the group as a unit. “She really gets everyone going in practice and on the field,” Sileo said. “She relays the plays to the team and they execute.”

Tenke, the defensive anchor, has been a varsity mainstay since her sophomore season and really brings a varsity-level experience that only a few on this 2018 roster possess.

Sileo believes that further experience translates into comfort late in games, and late in the season. At this point, though, the Lady Big Red have played host to only one conference foe in Sewanhaka, who, they soundly defeated 16-6. Schettino led the game with 8 combined points, with nine Glen Cove players tallying at least a single point. The two games prior were hosted by Conference IV opponents, both overpowering Glen Cove, but providing key experience against higher level teams.

““Winning those 50-50 balls is going to be important for us, we want to limit second chances,” Sileo said. “If we can have numerous kids contributing points towards a win, we can be successful.”