Lake Grove/Newfield Tsunami U-17 Girls win ENY State Cup title

(Via ENYYSA) – The Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) Girls-Under-17 final game on June 5 at Stringham Park in LaGrange looked to be a mismatch between two Long Island Junior Soccer League (LIJSL) teams. Brentwood Freedom were the three-time State Open Cup champs and defeated the Lake Grove/Newfield Tsunami, 5-0, in last year’s final.

But 2016 was a different story as Lake Grove/Newfield squeaked out a 2-1 overtime win on July 5 at Stringham Park in LaGrange. Jillian Colucci scored in regulation and Amanda Spitalera added the game-winner in overtime for the new State champs.

“Brentwood is a really tough opponent,” commented Lake Grove/Newfield coach Frank Stagnitta. “They have outworked and outmuscled us in the past but we are super fit this year so they could not do that to us again. The experience of losing last year’s final helped set us up to win today.”

Lake Grove/Newfield will be playing for the Regional championship from June 30 to July 5 in Barboursville, West Virginia and Eastern New York will help pay for their costs.

Brentwood received the Howard Rubenstein Sportsmanship Award as determined by the game officials. Now living in Kentucky, Mr. Rubenstein was seemingly involved in every facet of New York soccer for decades and is a member of the Halls of Fame of Eastern New York, the US Amateur Soccer Association and the LIJSL.