BALDWINSVILLE – Late in October, when the Baldwinsville girls soccer team expects to make a push for a Section III Class AA championship, one of its top players will be across the Atlantic Ocean – but for a very good reason.
Senior Liana Mostrianska has earned a spot on Ukraine”s Women’s National Under-19 team, and will travel to the Netherlands to join them for the first round of the Euro-2022 tournament.
After leaving in early October for a a week of training, Mostrianska and her Ukrainian teammates will take part in three group games against host Nethrlands, Scotland and Austria.
Already having played for Ukraine in previous international competition in 2018, Mostrianska said it was special that officials in that country had not forgotten her contributions despite her move to the United States.
“I’m really happy they remembered me and gave me this opportunity,” she said.
“This is an incredible honor for Liana,” said Baldwinsville Superintendent Jason Thomson. “Her countless hours of dedication, passion and hard work are paying off. We are very proud of having Liana as a Baldwinsville Bee representing us on the world stage.”
Soccer runs deep in Liana’s family. Her father was a professional player in Ukraine and she started taking up the sport as a child, eventually playing on her first team at age 11.
Then, in 2019, Liana and her family moved to the United States. She started attending Baker High School as a sophomore and, a year later, joined the B’ville girls soccer program.
This season, Mostrianska has emerged as one of the Bees’ top forwards, earning a team-best three goals through her team’s first nine games.
Even though the tournament will keep Liana from helping B’ville in its post-season push, Bees head coach Kathy Morse is far from sad about it.
“(This is) a wonderful opportunity for Liana,” said Morse. “She has been such a great asset to our team. We will be cheering her on from the States.”
