The Lynbrook soccer program held its annual fundraiser for the Fly a Kite Foundation and for former Lynbrook student Zachary Bernstein. Bernstein was an eleven-year-old boy who suffered from DIPG (Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma) — a form of pediatric cancer– and tragically passed away in 2014. His parents founded the Fly a Kite Foundation, to raise awareness, raise funds for cancer research, as well as spread happiness to kids with pediatric brain cancers by sending them custom art packages. His love for the game of soccer was the inspiration for the annual soccer day. This year marked an important one for the event as it is what would be Bernstein’s senior year. The day ended with great results for both the boys’ and girls’ varsity teams as they played to the best of their abilities for their former classmate.

The girls’ varsity team beat Baldwin 1-0 in thrilling fashion. The Lady Owls’ lone goal came from junior Heather Horowitz in the first half. Horowitz netted an incredible header off a cross, coming from sophomore Olivia Vuotto. Lynbrook’s defense was backed by a squad of juniors, including Kayla Schwizer, Leanna Sullivan, Sarah Fava, and Fabiana DeLuca. The girls were extremely proud of their win. Horowitz, stated, “It was a great team win and I’m hoping this was a positive turning point for our season.” Sullivan added, “Although it was nice to get a win, the most important part of the day was the support shown for a great cause.” The match improved the teams record to 2-6.

To end the night the varsity boys competed against Hewlett. This matchup against a cross-town rival did not disappoint. The captivating game ultimately ended in a 1-1 tie, extending the boys’ unbeaten streak to five straight games. The Owls’ lone goal came from senior Marco Vinceslao very late in the game. This clutch equalizer brought the Owls back to a level score. Junior Anthony Campos commented on the team’s recent performances: “We are definitely on the right track to have success late in the season and postseason.”

Overall, Lynbrook Soccer Day was a successful event for both teams. The girls clutched a win against a strong opponent and had a solid defensive performance. Although the boys did not come out with a win, they had an impressive performance and hope to continue their unbeaten ways.