PDS wins feisty rivalry game over Princeton
PRINCETON >> Bloody noses and black eyes.
Ever since Princeton Day School and Princeton High reignited their girls soccer rivalry, it seems as though you can’t leave the field without one or the other.
Then again, that’s just the nature of a good old fashioned neighborhood tussle.
“We know it’s going to be physical because it’s a derby,” said PDS sophomore center back Cailyn Jones, who scored her side’s first goal in a feisty 3-1 victory on Saturday afternoon. “We wanted to show that we are the better Princeton team. We all really wanted this game, so we played our hearts out and played until we won.”
This was the second straight year the two schools met in non-league play and contested one of the better games of the season.
Jones powered home a 12th minute header to give the Panthers (3-0) an early lead and Aislynn Macco double the advantage in the 34th minute. The two-goal edge lasted amere twominutes before Vanessa Ponce curled in a superb rightfooted effort for the Tigers (1-1).
“This was our first really intense game and winning this game is a great way to start the season,” Jones said. “It will keep us pushing throughout the season to get into the tournaments and get a good high seed. Having this start is really good.”
PDS shifted from the back three it played in the season’s first two games to a back four in order to deal with Princeton’s attacking three. With Jones and Anna Ellwood in the center and veteran outside backs Tulsi Pari and Sophia Miranda the Panthers were solid most of the afternoon.
Goalkeeper Riley Felsher finished with four saves, including an excellent stop to denyMorgan Beamer in the first half.
“We needed a game like this because the rest of the season is going to be similar to this,” PDS coach Pat Trombetta said. “We’ve got a lot of returning players and experience and I think it helps us prepare for tournament time. These girls are up for the challenge, so I think it’s going to be a great season for us.”
With Princeton pushing for an equalizer in the second half, PDS missed chances for a killer third when goalkeeper Caroline Ealy denied Ellwood from close range and Ali Surace hit the crossbar a minute later.
Finally, the third did comewith eightminutes remaining when Kirsten Ruf and Surace worked a neat give-and-go before Ruf, a freshman, fired in off the under side of the crossbar for her fifth of the season.
Despite the defeat, Tigers coach Valerie Rodriguezwas encouraged by her side’s display, especially as it works to get key players back from injuries.
“It’s always important to take on a tough battle early in the season because you learn a lot about your team,” Rodriguez said. “You learn things to work on. You never want to start a season perfect because you’re eventually going to hit that road block. ... We can possess the ball and have a good pace and we can attack. We have to clean up our set piece defense, but we learned that our kids our tough and they had each others’ backs.”
Goals: Chia (PHS), C. Jones, Macco, Ruf (PDS); Assists: Astbury, Ellwood, Surace (PDS); Shots: 9 (PHS). 11 (PDS); Saves: Marciano 2, Ealy 1 (PHS), Felsher 4 (PDS).