Jessica Lynskey, Lia Howard goals propel Massapequa girls soccer to win over Syosset
Jessica Lynskey #11 of Massapequa, front left, and teammates congratulate Lia Howard #1 after she scored a goal midway through to second half to extend the Chiefs' lead over Syosset to 2-0 in a Nassau County Conference AA1 girls soccer game at Massapequa High School on Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021. Massapequa went on to win by that same score. Lynskey scored the opening goal in the first half. Credit: James Escher
The players on the Massapequa girls soccer team will never forget that feeling of walking off the field after a loss to Syosset in the Nassau Class AA final last season. They can never get that back, but they are doing all they can to never experience that again.
Massapequa had another chance to take on that same foe and prove this year will be different. And the team exited with a 2-0 home victory over Syosset in Nassau Conference AA-I girls soccer Thursday. Jessica Lynskey and Lia Howard each had a goal and an assist.
"Syosset definitely gave us a good game, they are never easy to beat," Lynskey said. "But what I think it came down to we definitely wanted it more after what happened last year and losing to them in the county final. There was no worse feeling than losing to them in that county championship."
Lynskey scored from 25 yards out with 15:36 remaining in the first half. The senior midfielder then found Howard, who headed in the goal, off a cross with 17:22 remaining in the second half for the game’s final goal in a matchup that’s had increasing meaning the last few seasons.
"It’s a rivalry that’s developed over the last 3-4 years," coach Bruce Stegner said. "They know they have to be on their ‘A’ game to beat them. It really stung last year when we were undefeated and we lost to them in the finals."
The Massapequa backline, including Julia Gagliano, McKayla Schneidler, Lena Fleischer and Nicole Kilkenny with Mia Baldinger at midfield, limited scoring chances for Syosset (7-3-1). Mary Stork made five saves.
Massapequa improved to 13-0-1 overall, including 11-0 in conference with one Nassau AA-I game remaining before the postseason. Massapequa entered last season’s county final undefeated and admitted the emphasis on that could have become too great.
"Last year we focused a lot on our undefeated season and then it kind of caught back to us at the county finals," Gagliano said. "It’s definitely great that we are undefeated, but we are trying to stay away from [focusing] on that."
Last season both teams entered the county final knowing it would be the season’s final game. That won’t be the case this fall with the state championships returning. Massapequa has won four state titles since 2010, with its last coming in 2015. Syosset’s never won a state crown.
‘We’ve been thinking about that state championship since the day we started practicing," Lynskey said. "And that’s one goal we all have as a team."