Thursday, October 1, 2026
Rebuilding the defense decimated by graduation losses will key whether the Hewlett girls make a return trip to the playoffs. Nine from last year’s roster graduated, including the starting defensive four.
Hewlett finished 4-12 but its 4-7 record in Conference 3 was good enough for postseason play.
And there is an excitement level with two captains who play offense – senior midfielder Giuliana Oliviero and junior attacker Kristina O’Rourke.
“(Oliviero) has a strong presence on the field,’’ second-year coach Emma Kriss said. “Communication is top notch when she is on the field, I feel as if we have extra players.’’
Oliviero’s vocal leadership is as important as the 6 goals and 3 assists she notched last season.
In O’Rourke, Hewlett has another smart player with strong lacrosse sense. “She sees the field very well and her passion for lacrosse is infectious,’’ Kriss said.
O’Rourke had one dazzling game last season when she singlehandedly beat Glen Cove with 11 goals in a 20-19 victory. She finished with 40 goals and 14 assists.
Maybe the most athletic girl on the team is junior goalie Daniella Kotlyar as she begins a third season as starter. She had 174 saves – one of the highest in the county. “Her confidence and skill continues to climb,’’ Kriss said.
Kotlyar also was a hero in the Glen Cove squeaker. The goalie corralled a ground ball and ran with it up the field before passing for an assist on the game-tying goal that forced overtime.
There will be two other important contributors – senior midfielder Ella Fahy and junior midfielder Alexa LaPaglia.
The defense is rebuilding with sophomores Angelina Batista and defensive midfielder Jenna Shvartshteyn. They both play three sports.
"They have the ability to be majorly impactful players with their natural athleticism and how they see the field,’’ Kriss said. “They have unique strengths but share a common one in terms of having great instincts which I believe comes naturally and from playing multiple sports.’’
To read more about Hewlett Bulldogs' 2026 boys lacrosse team, click here. To see more of the Herald’s 2026 Lacrosse Preview, click here.
