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Mostly Cloudy Lady Spartans roll with changes
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Valley Stream North senior
Elizabeth Miller scored two of her four goals on the year and also picked up two assists in a 4-0 Conference IV victory over Elmont on Oct. 14.
Susan Grieco/Herald
Despite fielding the youngest roster in Nassau Conference VI girls’ soccer, Valley Stream North is contending to finish as high as second place under first-year coach Geoffrey O’Connell.
All three of the Lady Spartans’ losses have been by one goal, including a 3-2 decision at Long Beach last Friday in a game that saw Marybeth Whalen score the winner with six minutes remaining. Eighth-grader Samantha Scaglione scored twice in the second half for North, which dipped to 4-3-2 in conference play.
“We rallied from a two-goal halftime deficit and they beat us on a great shot,” said O’Connell, who has twice as many eighth-graders (six) on the roster than seniors. “It was the first game all year we allowed more than two goals.
“Any time you have a new coach and a new system, there’s a learning curve involved,” he added. “The girls have responded well and have had great success.”
O’Connell, a varsity assistant soccer coach at Chaminade for three years and also North’s JV girls’ basketball coach, was confident the Lady Spartans could handle the switch to either a 4-3-3 or a 4-4-2 system based on talented defenders like senior captains Ali Troiano and Vicky DeVivo. Troiano directs the group from the center and DeVivo works on the right side. Eighth-grader Sarah Miller is also in the middle and junior Michelle Nevarez and eighth-grader Tinamarie Cassiano have split time on the left. “Ali’s a great leader back there and everyone contributes a lot,” O’Connell said.
Freshman Dana Morgante stepped up during tryouts to solidify the goalkeeper position and has enjoyed some big games. She has two shutouts, including a 10-save effort in a 1-0 victory over Long Beach on Sept. 24. “Dana’s an incredible athlete who has come a long way in goal,” O’Connell said. “She learns a little bit more and gets more confident every day.”
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