Northport girls lacrosse's Sophia Mele, Parker Ciaio key win over Huntington with defense
Emma Greenberg of Northport works to move the ball up field during a lacrosse game against Huntington on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, in Northport. Credit: Dawn McCormick
When the Huntington girls lacrosse team called timeout, it was trailing Northport by one goal with 37 seconds remaining.
Northport’s mindset? Stay calm.
Then, when the Blue Devils attempted a drive from the top of the 12-meter arc, Northport's Sophia Mele and Parker Ciaio crashed on the ball and caused a turnover. Northport secured possession — and the 7-6 win — on its home field as time ran out in the Suffolk I matchup Tuesday.
After falling to Huntington by one goal twice last season, Northport coach Carol Rainson-Rose said being back on top is especially sweet.
“We needed to win this to get over the hump,” Rainson-Rose said. “We’ve been in the ‘lose by one’ club for a while, and now we’ve won by one. It’s a good feeling and hopefully we can take this momentum into the playoffs.”
Emma Greenberg was an anchor for Northport’s (11-1) defense, scooping up three ground balls and causing two turnovers. Coming out of that final timeout, her message to the team was about grit.
“We’ve been preparing for moments like that all week, all season, and it all just came together,” Greenberg said. “We just could not let them score. We played such a great game and we couldn’t let the last 30 seconds change the outcome.”
Greenberg said after Northport’s offense put up a winning performance, it was the defense’s job to keep it in place. Kaleigh Howard was part of that winning performance, leading Northport with three goals, including the go-ahead tally, which she scored on a righty crease roll just under five minutes into the fourth quarter. Riley Cash also added two goals and an assist.
Howard said when she has time and room, it’s tunnel vision to the net.
“I saw the back of the net and knew I had to place the ball in the right spot,” Howard said. “That’s really all I think about when I have the ball, when I shoot. I just know I have to win it.”
Valentina Puccio scored three goals and Juliet Johnson made five saves for Huntington (12-2). Coach Megan Marinelli said she knew this matchup would be tough but it was good preparation for when the Blue Devils and Tigers likely meet again.
“They know what we want to do and we know what they want to do,” Marinelli said. “Playing great teams like this, being in these close games and high intensity situations, it’s going to make us better. It wasn’t the finish we wanted, but we know this exposure is good for us.”
Tess Ferguson is a reporter on Newsday's high school sports staff. She joined the team after graduating with a journalism degree from Ithaca College in 2025.
