Thursday, October 1, 2026
For a Lynbrook girls basketball team that started 2-7 overall and 0-2 in League A-1, the Owls have settled in as they orchestrated a three-game win streak.
Over that span, Lynbrook beat Mineola, 44-37, Jan. 9, Valley Stream North, 45-40, Jan. 12, and red-hot Plainedge, 36-29, Jan. 15.
Against Plainedge, the two teams were tied heading into the fourth quarter. The Owls outscored the Red Devils 14-7 thanks to senior Sam Marsiglia’s performance from long distance in the final frame to come out victorious.
“Sam came off the bench and she hit two threes early in the fourth quarter,” Lynbrook head coach Dan Drumm said. “Once she hit those two threes, we were up and they kind of started pressing a little bit. They got into a little foul trouble. We were breaking the press and we started scoring a little bit. It was definitely a tight game the whole way.”
Marsiglia was the hero against Plainedge, as she racked up a couple of rebounds as well.
Lynbrook improved to 4-2 in league and entered this week in third place, holding the tiebreaker over Plainedge. Senior Mia Corley and junior Jessie Vuotto tallied a team-leading 9 points each in the win.
Vuotto is the leading scorer for the Owls, averaging 14.4 points per game. “She’s our one returning starter from last year and she’s had experience going to one semifinal and two finals for the counties,” Drumm said of Vuotto. “She’s got a ton of experience and she outworks everybody every day. That’s our thing; we have a very hard-working team, but she’s the leader of that.”
Crashing the glass was an important part of the team’s win over Plainedge, as Vuotto snagged 14 rebounds and Corley grabbed 12. Corley also added 9 points and three steals.
During the three-game win streak, Vuotto totaled of 40 points, with an 18-point performance in the win against Valley Stream North. Against both VSN and Plainedge, it was a back-and-forth affair until the fourth quarter, when the Owls pulled away. This team isn’t shy when it comes to pulling out close games.
“I do [think these close games will help later in the season when things tighten up] and last year, their team was excellent,” Drumm said. “All five starters could play and a lot of their games were blowouts, just because they were an excellent team. Losing four out of five starters on that team put us in a spot where these girls have to step up now and that’s why a lot of our games are close. They’re gaining their experience on the run.”
In addition to Vuotto, the other two senior captains, Natalie Kehoe and Maggie Matterra, have led through all the adversity. Kehoe scored a season-high 8 points against Valley Stream North, while Drumm said Matterra “leads with her voice,” gaining respect from teammates.
The Owls host Valley Stream South Jan. 28 at 5 p.m.
