By The TimesLedger
To understand just how good Laura Burlacu is on the soccer field, just listen to the description by former New York Power goalkeeper Suzy Strazzulla.
“She has the scoring touch of Mia Hamm or Tiffeny Milbrett and the aerial prowess of Tisha Venturini or Michelle Akers,” said Strazzulla, who coached Burlacu for the U-18 Redlegs of the Manhattan Soccer Club.
And Burlacu, a standout all-purpose player at Newcomers, will only get better.
But thankfully for Queens opponents, the TimesLedger Girls’ Soccer Queens Player of the Year will do that improving collegiately next year at St. John’s instead of tormenting them anymore.
“She’s so creative, you don’t see kids like her in the city very often,” said St. John’s head coach Ian Stone. “She understands the game like many other European players. She’s very skillful, she’s very good technically and she has very good vision.”
Burlacu, a native of Romania, has been the most dominant player in Queens and this year she made her mark on the city. She was named PSAL Wingate Heisman as the city’s top player.
After scoring 27 goals in 12 games last year, Burlacu netted 12 goals this year despite being slowed by ankle and quadriceps injuries. Because the Lions lacked talent this year, Burlacu also was forced to play goal, where she made 42 saves and allowed just four goals.
“She simply has an eye for the goal,” said Strazzulla, who is an assistant coach at St. John’s. “To see a high school student hit the ball like her, only a few can strike the ball like that.”
Burlacu, who chose St. John’s over Manhattan, Iona, Fordham, Stony Brook and Adelphi, may not be able to compete as a freshman next year. Despite scoring higher than 1,000 on the SAT, Burlacu may have to sit next year because she does not have the minimum English requirements.
So Big East opponents may have to wait a year before learning what PSAL opponents know all too well.
“She is just natural with the ball, it’s just an extension of herself,” Strazzulla said of Burlacu, who will likely be used as a central midfielder/forward at St. John’s. “Her ability to manipulate the ball is probably equivalent to some women’s professional players.”
