Thursday, October 1, 2026
Clarke’s girls lacrosse program has been on the rise with back-to-back double-digit win campaigns following some lean years, and the needle continues to point in a positive direction.
Tough one-goal losses to Glen Cove and Island Trees tested its mettle and last Friday presented another major obstacle in the form of West Hempstead, which won its first seven games out of the gate.
Senior Gianna Riccobono had six goals and junior Ayla Abate added a goal and five assists as Clarke won the battle of Rams, 13-10. The outcome left both teams with identical 7-2 records.
“The two close losses were definitely disappointing, but playing another top team in West Hempstead lit a fire under us,” said Riccobono, a four-year varsity player who has 37 goals and 10 assists and is crucial in the draw circle. “Everyone on our team has a lot of skills and we make each other better,” she added.
West Hempstead got four goals and an assist from Nassau County’s leading scorer, senior Elizabeth Poirot (49 goals, 38 assists in nine games), hat tricks from senior Daniella Healy and junior Marissa Koller, and 16 saves from sophomore goalie Julianna Poirot, Elizabeth’s younger sister.
“We’re having a nice year and now we’re in the middle of the schedule gauntlet,” West Hempstead coach Suzanne Kenney said. “I think the difference today is we had too many turnovers. Clarke’s a good team and Julianna did a great job keeping us in it with some big saves.”
West Hempstead led only once, 1-0, 30 seconds into the game on a goal by who else? Elizabeth Poirot. “We knew we had to key on her and made it even a bigger priority as the game went on,” said Clarke first-year coach Jacki Gatti, whose defense is led by the sister tandem of senior Ava Ruperto and junior Victoria Ruperto.
Offenses dominated a first quarter that concluded with Clarke holding a 5-4 lead. Riccobono had three straight goals after Poirot opened the scoring and goals by juniors Mia Lucas and senior Diana Velez gave the hosts a 5-2 lead.
West Hempstead responded and had the game tied at 5 midway through the second quarter thanks to goals by Koller, Poirot and Healy. The game was tied again at 8 late in the third quarter before Lucas put Clarke ahead for good. Freshman Allison DeLuca opened and closed the scoring in the fourth to seal the victory,
“We had the Glen Cove, Island Trees and West Hempstead games circled on the calendar,” Gatti said. “We had those two tough losses [12-11 to Glen Cove and 10-9 to Island Trees] and we were right there with leads in both games. I didn’t have to motivate the girls for today. They motivated themselves and executed well.”
Clarke has six games remaining and needs to win half to secure another 10-win season. West Hempstead, which suffered its first loss at the hands of Glen Cove by a 12-10 count, won 11 games in 2025 and still has a chance to match or top that accomplishment.
