Spring on Long Island brings with it mixed blessings and sometimes very rugged conditions for outdoor sports. Anyone who has tried to play softball, baseball, soccer or lacrosse in March and early April knows all about the elements thrown your way by mother nature. Somedays it doesn't seem fair. But, the games must go on, or you'll be playing into June to cover all the make-ups. The Mineola High School girls varsity lacrosse team has experienced the weather swings this spring, just like every other outdoor team. Earlier this season, the ladies has a game postponed because of bitterly cold weather.

On April 12, rain showers had appeared to doom another contest. But, the referee said the game would be played. The weather wasn't good and neither was the final score. Mineola lost at Floral Park 11-4. But, coach Katie Sheehan said afterward, "By the score, you would have thought Floral Park controlled the game. But, that was not the case."

Mineola found itself in an early hole. Floral Park scored five goals in the first five minutes of the game. From that point forward, though, it was an even match. Each team scored a pair of goals in the latter stages of the first half and in the second half, the Knights added four goals to Mineola's two. Coach Sheehan pointed to the play of goaltender Ally Murphy, who regrouped after allowing five early goals. Murphy racked up 17 saves and performed well the rest of the game. The coach also gave credit to Danielle Adams, who led the team at center and recorded a draw control of over 75 percent. Adams ended up with two of Mineola's goals while Joanna Canning and Maryanne Georgeou each had a goal.

The next contest for the Lady Mustangs was one of the best games the team has played this season, coach Sheehan said as Mineola and Carle Place played to an 8-8 tie. "It was one goal shy of what we would have preferred, but it was a great contest nonetheless," coach Sheehan said.

Mineola led 4-2 at halftime on the strength of a pair of goals from Vikki Montalbano. Courtney O'Connell opened the second half with the first of her two goals. But, the visiting Frogs came back to score five unanswered goals and take a 7-5 lead.

With four minutes left, Lauren Anderson tied the contest at seven. O'Connell scored less than a minute and a half later to put the Lady Mustangs up by a goal. But, the visitors scored with 27 seconds remaining to forge the tie. Goaltender Ally Murphy had 12 saves and a 40 percent save rate. Vikki Montalbano ended with three goals in the game. In addition to the pair from Coutney O'Connell and the late goal from Lauren Anderson, Danielle Adams and Alison Carnabuci also scored in the game.

The Mineola varsity softball team ran its record in conference 3-C to 3-1 with a hard fought 9-8 victory over visiting Oyster Bay.

After Oyster Bay scored twice in the top of the first inning, the Lady Mustangs came back to tie the score. Maureen Cloghessy led off the inning with a double. Vicky Russo followed with a triple to score Cloghessy with the first run. Then, Russo scored when clean-up hitter Melissa Hock laid down a sacrifice bunt. Mineola took the lead in the second inning when Cloghessy singled in the third run of the game.

Oyster Bay took advantage of some Mustang miscues in the fourth inning to score four runs to take the 4-3 lead. But, in the bottom of the inning, Mineola took the lead for good. The Mustangs banged out five hits and scored six times. Liz Terezo, Russo, Hock, Melissa Fischetto and Jill Tognelli each had an RBI in the rally, which started with two outs and no one on base. Ouster Bay pecked away again and scored a run in the fifth and sixth innings. But, Mineola held on to come away with the one-run win. Pitcher Kristin Raffetto went the distance for the victory.

In a season that seems filled with one-run decisions, Mineola dropped a tough one to visiting Cold Spring Harbor 4-3. The Seahawks scored three times in the first inning without a hit to put the Mustangs in a hole. The visitors added one more in the fourth before Mineola began its comeback, scoring three times, but left runners in scoring position that could have made the difference. Liz Terezo drove in one run while Melissa Hock knocked in the other two. Kristin Raffetto again when the distance and struck out eight batters, but suffered the tough loss.

In their third game in three days, the Lady Mustangs lost a home game to Garden City 6-4. Mineola had an early 2-0 lead. But, the visitors scored four times in the second inning to take the lead for good. Melissa Hock and Jill Tognelli each had two hits in the game while Maureen Cloghessy had one. Pitcher Kristen Raffetto struck out ten batters, but took the loss in another distance performance. The loss left Mineola 3-2 in conference play.