In The Kitchen…Outdoor Season Begins With Long Island June Pickleball Challenge

Battling through difficult weather conditions, players came out to compete in the Long Island June Pickleball Challenge presented by Orlin & Cohen Orthopedic Group on the courts of SPORTIME Hempstead Lake.

With temperatures north of 90 degrees, the only thing hotter than the sun itself was the competition on the court. Players competed across four divisions of play with an assortment of round-robin matches that fed into the playoff rounds for each.

A continental breakfast was offered complimentary to all players, and as the tournament moved along, there was a “happy hour” available as well. The presenting sponsor, Orlin & Cohen was on-site to provide players with various giveaways including sun screen, cooling towels and more.

“This was such a fun event and they did a great job of putting it together,” said Araksya Hovsepyan. “It was well-organized; they had water and ice ready at all times for everybody, and the happy hour was a great touch and helped a lot!”

Hovsepyan teamed with Spela Sluga to win the Women’s 3.5 – 4.0 doubles division in a thrilling 12-10 victory over the pairing of Emilie Katz & Abby Lerner.

The two normally play indoors, but showed they could adjust to outdoor competition, even despite the heat.

“I think it was our mindset. We made sure to take a lot of deep breaths, and check in with each other to see if we needed a timeout. We slowed on the change of serves, and I think that’s what helped us push through,’ said Sluga. “This was such a great tournament, we really appreciate all the work that went into it. They did a great job of communicating ahead of time which allowed us to just focus on our matches.”

In the Men’s 3.5 – 4.0 doubles division, Evan La Spina & Darwin Lee came away with the title after outlasting Matthew Schlosser & John McCormack 11-5 in the championship match.

The two have known each other for decades and that helps them with their on-court chemistry.

“We grew up together so we know each other’s strengths and weaknesses,” said La Spina. “We were struggling a bit towards the end but made sure to stay hydrated, drink a lot and stay in the shade as best we could.”

Lee said La Spina picked him up late in the tournament, especially in the finals.

“I was not playing well in that last match but he kept me steady and really stepped up,” he said.

Jordan Engel & Simon Corney used their conditioning to outlast their opponents in the Men’s 4.0 – 4.5 doubles draw, playing their best pickleball in the playoff rounds. In the championship, the two defeated Brad Berger & Ryan Wales 11-7 to claim the title.

“They’re a tough team, so you really have to pick your spots and wait for the right moments to attack,” said Engel. “They were tough competition.”

Corney added:

“We have a very good understanding of where the other is going to be on court, and we complement each other well. It was very difficult conditions but it was the same for everybody, so we just tried to handle it as best we could.”

Both were complimentary of the tournament itself and the work done by co-tournament directors David Sickmen and Michelle Stoerback to put on a top-tier event.

“We really appreciate what they’ve done. There was a lot going on with morning rain and then afternoon heat, but it went smoothly, and we really had a fantastic day,” said Corney.

The Mixed Doubles 4.0 – 4.5 division culminated with an epic championship match between Chris Biscuiti & Gina Spagnuola and Chris Colesanti & Dorothy Connelly. In the end, Biscuiti & Spagnuolo were able to outlast their opponents, winning 12-10 to earn the gold medal.

The two made an adjustment after losing to Colesanti & Connelly during the round-robin, and were able to change things up in the final.

“We played them in pool play and they beat us, so I knew going into the final we were going to have a big test,” said Biscuiti. “But coming off of some big wins in the playoffs, we were ready to handle all of their offense. Gina’s hands are phenomenal, and we just hung tough, and pulled through with our effort and grit.”

Having competed together in Open Plays and other tournaments, Biscuiti & Spagnuola were able to overcome deficits in the finals, and manage the heat.

“I brought some watermelon for Chris and I, plus lots of water, gatorade, etc.,” Spagnuola said. “Breathing deeply and taking our time was a big help. After playing games to 15, playing to 11 in the final made it easier, and our adrenaline allowed us to come through.”

The Long Island June Pickleball Challenge was the latest event within the 2025 LITM Summer Series and continued our strong presence in the pickleball community, setting the stage for future events.

“I would like to thank our title sponsor Orlin & Cohen Orthopedic Group for their amazing support in helping us put on a professionally-run and successful event. We made sure all participants played a lot, that the tournament ran on time and that we had food, drinks, etc. available to players during the tournament,” said Tournament Director David Sickmen. “I also want to thank SPORTIME Hempstead Lake for hosting and doing a great job of getting the courts ready for play, and my co-tournament director Michelle Stoerback for all of her hard work in tournament coordination. Also, a thank you to the players who participated as well came together to make this a successful event. We’re excited to continue to run professionally-operated events and grow our presence in the pickleball community.”

The next Long Island Pickleball Challenge will be held on Saturday, September 20. Stay tuned to LITennisMag.com/Events for the latest information and registration.

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM THE JUNE PICKLEBALL CHALLENGE

2025 Long Island June Pickleball Challenge Full 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

SCENES FROM THE JUNE PICKLEBALL CHALLENGE