With a string of increasingly impressive victories, the undefeated MAA girls under-17 Lightning travel soccer team has played to the top of their division, with one game remaining. A victory against Kings Park will lock up the Long Island Division 3 championship for the Mineola Girls and complete an undefeated league season.

The most recent victory came in a 7-0 rout against a Rockville Centre team which had tested the Lightning with a tough 4-3 contest earlier in the season. Under the hot sun on Father's Day, the Mineola girls controlled play from the opening touch and took a two goal lead into halftime as a result of a beautiful give-and-goal by Nicki Adams from Alyssa McAree and a long shot off the foot of Aileen McAree which found the lower left corner of the net. Despite the 2-nil score, it was truly the defense and the midfield which made the difference for the Lightning, as the ball never got past the midfield line and the Rockville Centre team was forced to retreat and defend.

In the second half, the floodgates opened as the attack of Jenn Kinahan and Michelle Rita, along with striker Nicki Adams, peppered the opponents with numerous and creative shots. The level of play was spectacular, with each attack being carefully set up and supported by the midfield corps of Krissy May, Aileen McAree, Kim Donahue and Diana Linehan. Two quick goals by Nicki Adams and Diana Linehan led to a goalie change, as Allison Xanthus, who had touched the ball just once through 50 minutes of play, came out of goal to join the attack. Backup keeper Jenn Kinahan preserved the victory as Allison Xanthus contributed to the attack with two more quick goals, one on a beautiful play where she turned away from the goal, switched feet and blasted a shot through the screen of two defenders to the back of the net. Michelle Rita added a goal off a scuffle in front of the net, and Aileen McAree got her second score, assisted by her sister Alyssa. Once again, the defense, anchored ably by Erin Cloghessy with Jeannette Hollwedel and Diane Macedo on the flanks, kept play in the Mineola offensive zone. Cloghessy was simply spectacular, frustrating so many Rockville Centre tries that the other team eventually started retreating as soon as she touched the ball. Twice she dribbled unchallenged from the midfield line to the 18-yard box outside the opposing goal, where she fed passes to the forwards for scores. When the dust had settled, it was seven to zero with 10 minutes left to play and the referee sounded his whistle to mercifully end the carnage.

With one game left to decide the championship, Mineola's Lightning is playing its best soccer of their nine season career as a team. Captains Kim Donahue and Aileen McAree, both seniors, provide stability and experience to the team, while the young nucleus of the team centers on Erin Colghessy, Diane Macedo, Diana Linehan and the two rookies, Alyssa McAree and Michelle Rita. Holding the team together with their solid play each week are veterans Nicki Adams, the team's scoring leader, along with Jenn Linahan, Krissy May, speedy winger Jess Coulon and Alison Xanthus, who has been brilliant at both ends of the field. Keep watching this space for more great things from this talented and driven group of outstanding athletes.