The 2025 Long Island June Pickleball Challenge, held at SPORTIME Hempstead Lake, saw players compete under intense heat across four divisions. Sponsored by Orlin & Cohen Orthopedic Group, this pickleball tournament featured round-robin matches and exciting playoff rounds, with strong community participation and impressive wins in both men’s and women’s doubles and mixed divisions.
A Hot Day of Action and Sportsmanship
With temperatures above 90 degrees, players battled not only their opponents but also the weather. Free breakfast and a happy hour kept spirits high, while Orlin & Cohen handed out sun protection and cooling towels.
Araksya Hovsepyan and Spela Sluga won the Women’s 3.5–4.0 Doubles division, edging out Emilie Katz and Abby Lerner 12-10 in a close final. Hovsepyan said,
“This was such a fun event and they did a great job of putting it together.”, “We made sure to take a lot of deep breaths, and check in with each other… They did a great job of communicating ahead of time which allowed us to just focus on our matches.”(Spela Sluga)
Strong Partnerships Shine in Men’s Doubles
Evan La Spina and Darwin Lee took the Men’s 3.5–4.0 Doubles title with an 11-5 win over Matthew Schlosser and John McCormack. La Spina noted,
“We grew up together so we know each other’s strengths and weaknesses.”, “He kept me steady and really stepped up.”(Darwin Lee)
Jordan Engel and Simon Corney won the Men’s 4.0–4.5 Doubles championship, defeating Brad Berger and Ryan Wales 11-7. Engel shared,
“They’re a tough team… you really have to pick your spots.”, “It was very difficult conditions but it was the same for everybody.”(Simon Corney)
Mixed Doubles Sees Epic Rematch
Chris Biscuiti and Gina Spagnuola took gold in the Mixed Doubles 4.0–4.5 division, overcoming Chris Colesanti and Dorothy Connelly 12-10. Biscuiti said, “We were ready to handle all of their offense. Gina’s hands are phenomenal…” Spagnuola added, “Breathing deeply and taking our time was a big help.”
Event Well-Run Despite Heat
Tournament Director David Sickmen praised the support of Orlin & Cohen and the venue.
“We made sure all participants played a lot, that the tournament ran on time and that we had food, drinks, etc.”
He also thanked Michelle Stoerback for her efforts as co-director.
Final Results:
Women’s Doubles 3.5–4.0
- Gold: Araksya Hovsepyan / Spela Sluga
- Silver: Emilie Katz / Abby Lerner
- Bronze: Lynn Blanchette / Tessa Gould
Men’s Doubles 3.5–4.0
- Gold: Evan La Spina / Darwin Lee
- Silver: Matthew Schlosser / John McCormack
- Bronze: Patrick Powers / Robert Stark
Men’s Doubles 4.0–4.5
- Gold: Jordan Engel / Simon Corney
- Silver: Brad Berger / Ryan Wales
- Bronze: Roey Heymann / Harris Durkovic
Mixed Doubles 4.0–4.5
- Gold: Chris Biscuiti / Gina Spagnuola
- Silver: Chris Colesanti / Dorothy Connelly
- Bronze: Richard Nessim / Rebecca Torres
The next Long Island Pickleball Challenge is set for Saturday, September 20.
News in Brief: Long Island June Pickleball Challenge
The 2025 Long Island June Pickleball Challenge at SPORTIME Hempstead Lake featured exciting matches across four divisions in extreme heat. Winners included Araksya Hovsepyan, Spela Sluga, Evan La Spina, Darwin Lee, Jordan Engel, Simon Corney, Chris Biscuiti, and Gina Spagnuola. The next challenge takes place on September 20.
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