MacArthur faces scheduling gauntlet

The MacArthur girls’ soccer team will be battle tested in the regular season against Nassau County’s top programs in its pursuit of seeking the program’s first county title since 2022.
The Generals compete in the AAA/AA 1 division, which includes programs with plenty of championship pedigree in Garden City, South Side, Massapequa, Oceanside, Syosset and Port Washington.The rigorous league schedule will serve as rock solid preparation for for the playoffs where MacArthur will contend the last two Conference AA champions, South Side and Garden City.
“Our league is a slog and it’s a long test of endurance,” said fourth-year MacArthur coach Steve Costello, whose team fell to South Side 2-0 in last year’s Class AA semifinals. “We hope to improve as much as we can and try to make a run at the end.”
MacArthur suffered two big graduation losses from last year’s 10-6-2 team in current Division I women’s soccer players Bella Calabro (Seton Hall) and Caitlin Barry (New Haven), but brings back plenty of experienced talent ready for a championship push. The Generals opened the season with a 2-1 non-league win at North Shore on Labor Day on goals from Gina Iannuzzi and Ava Kelly.
Senior midfielder Ysabelle Perillo, a reigning All-County selection, was the Generals’ leading scorer last year with nine. The versatile Perillo brings a veteran presence to the field in her final high school season with four years of varsity experience, which included scoring a goal as a freshman in the state finals.

“She’ll play all over the field,” Costello said of Perillo. “She’ll play midfield, she’ll play forward and sometimes she’ll even go into the back late in games.”
Freshman forward Alyssa Schmutzler is also back after delivering some key goals as an eighth grader. Junior Gianna Winkler is also expected to play an integral part of the offense in the midfield spot after missing much of last season due to injury.
Mia Rodriguez arms the Generals with some offensive firepower from the outside back position after tallying 10 points to earn All Conference honors despite missing some matches due to a hip injury. The senior, who can also play midfielder, was an All Catholic League player at Our Lady of Mercy in Syosset prior to transferring to MacArthur last year.
Rodriguez will help lead a backline that also includes Gina Iannuzz at outside back and junior central defensive midfielder Alexa Coppola. Juniors Abigail Zazulka and Katelynn Paulich along with freshman Emily Squicciarini are all capable center backs in the defensive end of the field.
The starting goalkeeper position was up for grabs entering the start of the season between sophomore Lyla Curtin, junior Gianna Bove and senior Bella Argento. Curtin started in the opening match at North Shore and registered 8 saves including a stop of a penalty kick.
MacArthur will visit neighborhood foe Seaford this Saturday at 3 p.m. before traveling to Port Washington Monday for a 5 p.m. kickoff. The Generals will then host Massapequa on Wednesday at 7 p.m. and defending county champion Garden City on Sept,. 19 at 5 p.m.