Lis’ strike sends Princeton past Lawrence

PRINCETON >> Sophia Lis has been around the Princeton High girls soccer program for as long as she can remember.

She used to run up and down the sideline as one of the team’s ballgirls while her older sisters were scoring goals for the Little Tigers.

Now it’s her turn and the freshman has wasted little time introducing herself to the rest of Mercer County.

Lis was the difference between a first-round Mercer County Tournament exit and a quarterfinal matchup with the top-ranked team in the state when she rocketed in a 20-yard shot in the 22nd minute that gave eighth-seeded Princeton a 1-0 victory over ninth-seeded Lawrence on Wednesday afternoon.

“It was crazy,” Lis said. “It was really motivating to the team because I thought we were doing really well. We just couldn’t get a finish in there even though we possessed it.”

Lis received a short pass from Morgan Beamer, took one touch to shift the ball onto her right foot and ripped a shot into the roof of the net. It was her team-high 10th goal of the season.

“I’ve been thrilled, but it’s also because the girls have come together and helped me out,” Lis said. “It’s just crazy to be here. I’ve been a ballgirl for the last couple years for my sister’s games and I was a kindergartner when my other sister was here. It’s been really exciting to finally be able to play.”

Little Tigers coach Val Rodriguez isn’t surprised Lis has picked up the pace of varsity soccer so quickly.

“She comes from a family of really great athletes and she’s been around the game her whole life, so it doesn’t surprise me at all,” Rodriguez said. “Does she impress me every single day? Absolutely. She’s a really great person and soccer player. She passes the ball nonstop, she sees the game and stays composed all the time.”

Princeton (7-5-2) was coming off a rough two-game stretch in which it lost both contests by a combined score of 8-1, including a 3-0 setback against Lawrence last Tuesday.

“We’ve had those close games where we’ve seen moments of where we can really possess the ball and then we have games where we can’t string together three passes,” Rodriguez said. “The character and the unity of this team is what’s keeping us alive.”

The Little Tigers also got a strong defensive performance and limited the chances for the Cardinals (7-6-2), although the visitors were dangerous from set pieces.

Evelin Dapprich had the best opportunity to equalize in the second half, but Princeton goalkeeper Shaylah Marciano (eight saves) did well to hold her swerving effort and not give up a rebound.

“We didn’t find the right gear today,” Lawrence coach Emily Palombo said. “We kind of accepted what was going on and didn’t take over the way that we needed to.”

The Little Tigers earned themselves a quarterfinal date with top-seeded and undefeated Allentown on Saturday. The Redbirds won the regular-season meeting, 2-1, but Lis and her teammates aren’t going to back down.

“I think that we’re ready for it,” Lis said. “We know what we need to work on and we know what we need to do.”

For Lis, that’s putting the ball in the back of the net.

“My message for her for the tournament season is to be selfish,” Rodriguez said. “Put the ball in the net and take your chances because you’re working hard and you deserve them and do what’s best for the team.”

Lawrence (7-6-2) 0 0 - 0 Princeton (7-5-2) 1 0 - 1

Goals: Lis (P); Assists: Beamer (P); Shots 13 (L). 7 (P); Saves: Karpontinis 4 (L). Marciano 8 (P).

PENNINGTON 6, TRENTON 0 PENNINGTON >> Kylie Daigle scored twice and assisted on another to pace the secondseeded Red Raiders past the 15th-seeded Tornadoes in a first-round game.

Pennington plays the winner of the game between Robbinsville and Nottingham on Saturday. Trenton (4-15) 0 0 - 0 Pennington (11-2-1) 6 0 - 6

Goals: Daigle 2, Balerna, Hawkey, M. Gibbard, Collins (TPS); Assists: Balerna, Johan-Wisnierski, Daigle, Mazzoni (TPS); Shots: 4 (T). 17 (TPS); Saves: Greene 12, Herrera 4 (T). Kavulich 4 (TPS).

REGULAR SEASON ALLENTOWN 8, EWING 0 ALLENTOWN >> Two goals apiece for Vanessa Rodriguez and Alex Searing helped the Redbirds move within one win of a second straight perfect CVC season.

Allentown (13-0) - 8

Ewing (1-14) - 0

Goals: Falsetta, Coiante, Pascarella, Rodriguez 2, Searing 2, Slimowicz (A); Assists: Pascarella 3, Searing, Soliman (A); Saves: Howell 2, Welsh 3 (A).

OAK KNOLL 4, HUN 1 PRINCETON >> Nicole Angelini scored in the second half for the Raiders, but the Royals came away with the win. Leah Sutphen made 10 saves for Hun.

Oak Knoll (5-7-2) 2 2 - 4

Hun (3-8) 0 1 - 1

Goals: Ngoma 2, Duttenhofer, O’Callahan (OK). Angelini (H); Saves: Lawler 4 (OK). Sutphen 10 (OK).