Big Red LAX Misses Playoffs, Finishes Season at 7-5

After Glen Cove High School girls' lacrosse team lost 10 seniors last year, head coach Jacqueline Gow didn't have high playoff hopes for her squad this season. 

Gow expected her girls to be competitive, but when junior Heather Artinian, one of Big Red's top players, contracted mononucleosis — a common viral illness that can leave you feeling tired and weak for weeks or months — she knew it would be hard for both Artinian and the team to surmount the adversity that befell them.

"It was a devastating blow for her," Gow explained.  "It was a very big blow for the team, too. Our captain Brittany Baker had to play defense, and it took another midfielder to fill in."

To Gow's surprise and delight, Big Red received stellar offensive production from a young crop of players, which included sophomores Ariana Cavallane (17 goals) and Alex Garin (14 goals) and junior Olivia Silvestri (23 goals), who combined for 54 tallies.

"To get those nice contributions from the young girls was tremendous," she said.

While Gow would've loved to have Artinian's athleticism on the field for the duration of the campaign, Glen Cove might have not discovered the bevy of young talent on the roster until next season.

"In one respect, we missed Heather," she said. "But in another, the other girls stepped up and performed well. It might not have happened with Heather there."

Glen Cove finished the year at 7-5, exceeding the school's longtime coach's expectations.

"I didn't expect us to make the playoffs," Gow said. "I think I felt they surpassed our expectations. They did a fabulous job."

Artinian, a legally deaf player who wears a cochlear implant, returned to action after eight weeks, which coaches said, is a testament to her tenacity and commitment to sports and her teammates.

Senior Chelsee Marks led the club in goals with 35, and senior Samantha Basile registered the most points for Big Red with 54, good for a 12th place finish in Nassau County. Both student-athletes, who made All-Conference, are heading to C.W. Post in the fall. Silvestri also earned All-Conference honors.

Baker, who took home the Nassau County Scholar Athlete Award, will attend Rutgers University in September, where she will tryout for its lacrosse squad.

Although Marks, Basile and Baker are graduating this June, Gow believes Big Red is in good shape for next year because of the next generation of players who are ready to work tirelessly in order to win.

"The foundation for next year is fabulous," she said. "We are leaving off at a very good point. The team has a great work ethic, which has them in great standing for next season."