The Farmingdale PAL girl's youth lacrosse program opened up last weekend on winning notes. The eighth-grade and both seventh-grade girl's teams, which play in the independent Long Island Senior Girls Youth Lacrosse League, all won close games on a beautiful early spring weekend.

The Farmingdale Spirit, the eighth-grade team, really got off to a slow start while clearly outshooting a hard-working and talented Rockville Centre team. Two thirds of the way through the first half the Spirit found themselves down 4-2 after outshooting them more than two to one. Fortunately, in the last eight minutes of the half the Spirit really got going by scoring four unanswered goals to take a six to four lead into half time. Shannon Haas scored three of her five goals and Candace Rossi had three of her six to combine for the Farmingdale first half scoring. First home, Tara Gangarossa, also had three of her four assists in the first half. The Spirit continued their superior play into the second half scoring the first two goals on a Gangarossa shot, assisted by Brittany Kohlmann, and Rossi's unassisted fourth. Rockville Centre then answered with two goals drawing within two, but the Spirits patent stack offense finished off RVC with two more each by Haas and Rossi assisted once by Gangarossa and the last three goals beautifully by Meghan Brady. Gangarossa and Brady ran the offense to perfection from their home positions. It was their unselfish and superior play that was fundamental to the Spirit victory. The hard fought game ended with a final score of 12 to 8.

The Spirit defense was well tested in the contest. The defensive captains, superb defensive specialists Alyssa Kildare and Danielle Dialto, led their respective down low defensive units of Amanda Lavista, Kate Thompson, Lia Costanzo, Brianna Birney, and Lauren Principato who all played very well. The down low attackers, Liz Edwards, Stefanie Rulli, and Brittany Kohlmann, ably led by Gangarossa and Brady, all did a tremendous job of controlling the ball offensively while setting up some spectacular goals.

Finally midfielders Lauren Broten, Alyssa Dorsey, Julia Castaldi, Jaime Burke, Jackie Gunn, and the always hard-working talented Melissa Maier, along with Rossi and Hass, played extraordinarily well on both sides of the ball offensively and defensively. Goalkeepers Julianne Cona and Jess Wadsworth insured the Spirit victory with some key and timely saves. Cona started and had five saves while first time goalie Wadsworth in her maiden start had three. It was an impressive victory for the Spirit, but not an easy one. Their tenacious and spirited play continue to impress all who watch, including their longtime coach, Joe Fanning, who was definitely concerned in the first half, but pleased with the Spirit heart and determination in their comeback victory.

The seventh-grade Farmingdale PAL White team opened up with a 9-7 victory over a tough and competitive Garden City Red squad. Jamie McPartland started the Farmingdale scoring and had two in the first half. Kayla Mueger and Amanda Baumann each scored one apiece in the first half and Farmingdale went into halftime with the score knotted at four.

The defense, composed of Michelle Kuchinskas, Lauren Scotti, Katie Wong, Amanda Newton, and goalkeeper Shannon Palmer held Garden City's offense to four goals. Palmer had a great half making seven saves.

In the second half, Stacy Leckawicz came out and sparked the offense right away with two goals. The rest of the attack, led by Meuger, Shea Macagnone, and Nicole Ramos worked the ball well and put good pressure on the Garden City goalkeeper. The almost tireless effort of midfielders McPartland, Brittany Olbeter, Baumann, Leckawicz, Palmer, and Brittany Newton forced turnovers in transition and controlled the pace of the game. McPartland scored her third goal of the game, Mueger her second, and Lauren put one into the net to complete the Farmingdale second half scoring.

Farmingdale suffered some late game injuries and had no subs left. Garden City took advantage and made a late second half run, but Farmingdale's second half keeper, Katie Wong, stepped up and made eight saves, many of them in the last two minutes, to secure the Farmingdale victory.

The seventh-grade Farmingdale Green team opened their season with a victory this past Sunday over Long Beach 6-5. In what started out as sloppy error-filled game, the girls overcame their mistakes with their constant hustle and outstanding defense. As was the case in many games last year, it was the goalie Lauren Maksym who was the major difference in the game making one outstanding save after another. The offense was led by Emily Fugarazzo who had two left-handed goals, and there was one goal apiece by Jillian Gemma, Joan Buczkowski, Tara Coyle, and Brittany Hushion. The defense was tough all over the field with extremely aggressive play. The constant double teaming by the girls forced many turnovers. The defense was led by Regina Bates, Briana Lively, Lindsay Hoglund, Jen Hults, Victoria Ficocchiaro and Megan O'Shea. Jackie Mazza possibly should have been credited with the seventh goal for Farmingdale, when her shot got away from the goalie and appeared to roll over the goal line, but the referees did not see it that way. The coaches were impressed with the hustle of first-year players Stephanie Ringbauer, Megan Milana, and Lurin Sepeci. Their first ever games were in a very intense and physical contest. The girls next play Saturday at home against Wantagh.