LILJ Winter League Opening Night Recap: Game Write-Ups, Analysis, Player Performances

Opening night of the 25-26 LILJ Girls Winter is in the books and it did not disappoint! With six games yesterday evening, Stony Brook Indoor was filled with plenty of high level competition to open up the JV and Varsity Divisions. A number of players brought their A game to kick off the winter league, leaving plenty to be excited about over the days and weeks ahead. Let’s go back recap all of the matchups from last night!

Team 91 Frenzy vs YJ Curcio

Opening the first game of the 25-26 Winter League it was a matchup in the JV division between the eighth graders of Team 91 Frenzy and the seventh graders of YJ Curcio. This one saw Team 91 Frenzy deliver a complete team performance to defeat YJ Curcio by a score of 11-6. Frenzy set the tone early, opening the first half with sharp ball movement and efficient scoring to build a 7–3 halftime lead. Their ability to generate offense in transition and capitalize on high-quality opportunities proved to be the difference as they controlled the pace throughout the opening frame. YJ Curcio responded with a stronger second half, only being outscored 4-3 in the second half,  but the early deficit was too much to overcome. Curcio showed improved defensive communication, limiting the second half scoring,  but Frenzy’s depth and consistency ultimately carried them through the final whistle.

Frenzy showcased a balanced offensive effort, with multiple players stepping up and leaving their mark on the game. Elle Meyer was the heartbeat of the Frenzy attack, scoring 4 goals on strong dodges and clean finishes. Her ability to get downhill, play off-ball and convert in tight spaces made her a prolific scoring threat. Emma Regan delivered a complete performance, burying 3 goals while adding 2 ground balls and 2 caused turnovers. Whether attacking the cage or disrupting plays defensively, she played a major role in Frenzy’s control of momentum. Ryleigh Byrne was the facilitator, dishing out 3 assists and consistently drawing slides to open up teammates. Her vision kept the offense flowing and created several high-quality scoring chances. Sienna Krawczyk added 2 key goals, both coming at crucial points where YJ Curcio was pushing to close the gap. Midfielder Avery Pescatore was everywhere, adding 1G, 1A, picking up 3 ground balls, and controlling the circle with 4 draw controls. Her combination of hustle and skill helped Frenzy win key possessions that fueled their offensive runs. Defensively Lynda Santamaria provided 3 ground balls with a caused turnover and was efficient in the clearing game.

Despite the loss, YJ Curcio produced several strong individual efforts that kept them competitive. The lefty attacker Charlotte Hoschel was an offensive spark, scoring 2 goals and also forcing two turnovers with her efforts in the ride. Brianna Grever added another 2 goals, capitalizing on scoring chances and helping stabilize Curcio’s offense when Frenzy threatened to pull away. Madeleine Dircks was a primary distributor, delivering 3 assists, showing great field vision and providing the connective play Curcio needed to break down Frenzy’s defense. Morgan Kashetta chipped in 1 goal, grabbed 3 loose balls, and caused a turnover, showing grit on both ends giving Curcio valuable possession gains and defensive pressure. Giuliana Mancini contributed 1 goal and converted on an 8m attempt, along with a caused turnover. Defensively Addison Leopardi showcased her wheels all evening as a clearing machine getting the ball up to the Curcio offense.

Bayport JV vs Team 91 Thunder

Bayport JV cruised from start to finish in a decisive 15–2 win over Team 91 2029 Thunder, showcasing a high-powered offense and tight defensive execution. The Phantoms set the tone early, scoring 8 first-half goals while holding Thunder to just 1, establishing a lead they never relinquished. Their ball movement and off-ball awareness created numerous high-quality scoring opportunities, and Bayport’s transition game kept Thunder on their heels throughout. Thunder managed to respond with a goal in each half, but their limited possession and Bayport’s stifling defense on the ride prevented any sustained momentum. The second half saw Bayport continue their offensive efficiency with 7 additional goals keeping their foot on the gas all evening.

Bayport was sparked by the dynamic duo of Kaelyn Aiello and Leila Rogers. Aiello led the Phantoms attack with a whopping 7 goals and 2 assists for a 9 point evening, showcasing her speed, precision shooting, and ability to find open lanes. It was evident very early in the game that she was in for a huge night. Rogers contributed 5 goals on a perfect 5 shots on goal, adding pressure in transition and consistently finishing opportunities near the cage. Kylie Jensen was a versatile contributor, adding 1 goal and 1 assist, while also contributing defensively with 2 caused turnovers. Ella Little was a standout on defense with a game high 4 caused turnover and 4 ground balls.

Despite the loss for Thunder, Brooke Valentine was very active in the ground ball department with 4 gb’s and in goal Ashleigh Kurowski recored 8 saves. Scoring one goal each for Thunder was Madison Schimkus and Lina Lagravinese.

St. Anthony’s 2028 vs Smithtown East

In a tightly contested matchup, St. Anthony’s 2028 pulled out a thrilling 9–8 victory over Smithtown East Varsity. The game was marked by back-and-forth scoring, clutch plays, and strong goaltending. The first half was evenly matched, with both teams trading goals and ending the frame tied at 4–4. In the second half, St. Anthony’s managed to narrowly pull ahead, scoring 5 goals to Smithtown East’s 4. Key defensive stops and timely finishing by St. Anthony’s proved decisive in the final minutes, helping them hold off East. For the Friars it was Fabiana Gallagher at attack who was an offensive catalyst. Not only did she tally a game high three goals, she delivered in the clutch with what was ultimately the game winner with just over 1 minute remaining! Midfielder Grace Murphy was a two-way contributor, displaying versatility, combining offensive production with defensive hustle, including 1 goal, 2 assists and 2 draw controls, that helped St. Anthony’s win key possessions. Kate Dolphin also at the midfield added 2 goals and a caused turnover, contributing in transition and settled offensive sets alike. St. Anthony’s defense saw Anneliese Judice come away with 3 ground balls along with a caused turnover. Smithtown East’s standouts included young gun Evelyn Avery the eighth grader who was a constant threat near the cage, scoring 3 goals, dishing an assist to lead the Bulls in scoring. Sophomore Bowen Schmitt provided 2 goals which helped East stay within in striking distance. In goal Ryan Dart was a defensive anchor with 9 saves and 50% save percentage.

Mt. Sinai vs Excelsior

In a hard-fought matchup, Mount Sinai held off a late rally from the Excelsior Free Agents to secure a 10–8 victory in a high school vs free agent matchup. Excelsior battled back in the second half, scoring 7 goals to Mount Sinai’s 6, but the early deficit proved too much to overcome. Clutch defensive stops and key scoring allowed Mount Sinai to preserve the win and open up pool play with a 1-0 record. The up and coming Mustangs saw standout performances from some of their young gun talent, including Ava Ciofrone the eighth grade midfielder who provided 2 goals, showcased elite speed getting up and down the field, and recorded a team high 4 ground balls. Freshman Laine Friedman the lefty attacker emerged as a game changer in the second half with 2 goals and 1 caused turnover all happening in a matter of moments to shift the momentum back in the Mustangs favor. Finding the back of the net twice were seniors Lila Callahan (Hofstra) and Sophia Masone (Georgetown). For Excelsior Juliann Brzeski’s (Stony Brook) 3 goals led the team’s second-half rally and kept the game close while Caragh Smith was a dual threat offensively, driving Excelsior’s push with 2 goals and an assist. Also finding the back of the net twice was Sophia Caramico and securing 3 balls off the ground was Molly McNamara.  

YJ Maget Bert vs Sacred Heart

YJ Maget Bert fresh off of a great showing down at Presidents Cup delivered a commanding performance from start to finish, defeating Sacred Heart 18–5 to open their first pool play game 1-0. Maget set the tone early with an 8-goal opening half, moving the ball efficiently and capitalizing on nearly every quality look. Sacred Heart battled to generate offense of their own, putting up 3 goals in the first half and adding 2 more in the second, but the offensive firepower of Maget was firing on all cylinders. For the Maget offense, Nora Ruddy left no doubts as to why she’ll be highly coveted by college coaches, as she was the engine of the offense, erupting for 4 goals on 5 shots on goal, and 2 assists, for a 6 point evening. She also contributed 3 ground balls, showcasing her full-field impact. For Fabiana Gallagher it was her second game of the evening and she delivered another eye-popping performance, also striking for 4 goals with an assist for 5 points. Her finishing touch in tight spaces proved to be a tough cover. Midfielder Jenna Lineman was clinical, scoring 3 goals on 3 shots on goal with two draw control wins. Providing a steady dose of scoring and facilitating was Ilaria Florence finding the back of the net twice and dishing out two assists. Katie Murphy added three helpers which was a team high, and Jamie Medico was a strong finisher with a physical presence, scoring 2 goals recording 4 ground balls. On the draw Molly Hyland impacted the circle with a game-high 4 draw controls and added an assist. In goal Juliet Johnson was 50% in saves, playing in the second half. For the Spartans, even in defeat, the future Maryland Terp Allie Reasoner connected for 2 goals and an assist, and in the freshman class one name to watch out for is midfielder Kylie Gorman who scored twice in her first unofficial game for Sacred Heart. Also playing in her first game and adding a goal was fellow freshman Katie Kassap.

Commack vs Rocky Point

Putting a bow on opening night was a Class A vs Class C battle between Commack and Rocky Point, where it was the eagles of Rocky Point coming away with a 10-4 victory. After falling behind 1-0 in the early stages of the game, Rocky Point responded scoring 7 of the net 8 goals to take a five goal lead into halftime, and they never looked back en route to their win. The Eagles offense was sparked by the senior FSU commit Kaleigh Moeller who recorded a hat-trick along with 2 assists for a 5 point evening. Also coming through with a 3 goal performance was the sophomore Abigail Hansen while also delivering an assist, and scoring one goal each included Cadence Adamo (USF), Logan Poli, Jenna Giorlando, and Scarlett Rogers. The goaltending was very stout in both the first and second half, with sophomore Makayla Blaising handling the first half only allowing two goals, and freshman Hannah Danseglio playing in the second half also only letting two shots go by. For the Cougars sophomore midfielder Ashley struck for two goals while Sarah Franke (UConn) and Ava Kolomechuk scored one goal each. The first week of the Winter League continues this weekend on both Saturday and Sunday with games starting at 7am. Click here to tune into the livestream presented by LI Sports Network!