Lady Tigers varsity soccer is back

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 13 August 2018 at 1:47 pm

Photos by Mike Wertman – New Lyndonville girls varsity soccer Coach Paul Zeppetella meets here with the senior members of the Lady Tigers squad who were at this morning’s first practice session. In front are Hannah Hamilton, Melanie Hibbard and Paige McDonald. In back with Coach Zeppetella are Marguerite Brakenbury, Brianna McMullen, Alana Drewery, Stacy Buckland, Ashley Howell, Grace Hayes and Jarielys Fores-Medina.

Today’s first day of practice was a very special one at Lyndonville as under new Coach Paul Zeppetella girls varsity soccer marked its return after competing as a merged team at Medina last fall.

This year Lyndonville is hosting a merged team with Medina which will be competing in the Genesee Region League and in the Section V playoffs. Last year, the merged team at Medina competed in the Niagara-Orleans League and the Section VI playoffs.

However, because state regulations require that merged teams use 100 percent of the enrollment of the larger school, the Lady Tigers will be in Class B for the sectionals and in Division I of the G-R League.

“I’m just excited and really looking forward to the season,” said Zeppetella. “I’m definitely impressed with the talent we have and they want to win. I’m so looking forward to this. We’re all ready to go.”

The Lady Tigers return a large veteran group including seniors Anna Lewis, Stacy Buckland, Paige McDonald, Grace Hayes, Marguerite Brakenbury, Brianna McMullen, Melanie Hibbard, Haylee Seefeldt, Alana Drewery, Mikayla Albone, Hanna Hamilton, Jarielys Flores-Medina, Ashley Howell and Chloe Adams along with juniors Olivia Carter and Morgan Allis and freshman Ella Lewis.

The Lyndonville/Medina team will open the season with a non league game against Wilson on August 29 at Medina and then begin G-R competition on September 5 at Byron-Bergen.

Schedule
August: 29 – Wilson (at Medina), 6:30 p.m.
September: 5- at Byron-Bergen, 6:30 p.m.; 7 – Attica, 4:30 p.m.; 11 – Holley, 4:30 p.m.; 13 – Wheatland-Chili, 4:30 p.m.; 15 – Akron (at Medina), 10 a.m.; 17 – Oakfield-Alabama/Elba, 4:30 p.m.; 19 – Kendall, 4:30 p.m.; 22 – Notre Dame (at Medina) 10 a.m.; 25 – at Pembroke, 4:30 p.m.; 27 – at Alexander, 4:30 p.m.; 29 – Byron-Bergen, 4:30 p.m.
October: 3 – at Wheatland-Chili, 6:30 p.m.; 5 – at Holley, 4:30 p.m.; 9 – at Attica, TBA; 11 – Roy-Hart (at Medina), 7:30 p.m.

Lady Tigers players work on a ball control drill.