A-GAME: Princeton Day School field hockey star Andrea ­Jenkins controls the ball at a recent practice. The Panthers are relying on senior forward/midfielder Jenkins to provide good two-way play all over the field this fall. PDS, which has a new head coach in Tracey Arndt, opens the 2012 season with a game at Germantown Academy (Pa.) on September 7.
(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Having played on the U.S. National Team from 1999-2004, Tracey Arndt is introducing some sophisticated concepts as she takes the helm of the Princeton Day School field hockey team.

Arndt, a former All-American and Big Ten Player of the Year at Penn State, has found a receptive group in her PDS players.

“From the first day, we knew they were hard workers,” said Arndt. “They are transferring skills from practice into the scrimmages, that is very exciting for me to see.”

It hasn’t taken Arndt long to realize that she has an exciting player in senior forward/midfielder Andrea Jenkins.

“Andrea is great; she is one of our captains,” said Arndt, whose team gets the 2012 season underway with a game at Germantown Academy (Pa.) on September 7.

“She has got the skills, she has got the attitude. She knows what to do and is a force to be reckoned with. She is starting to understand that it can be better to give it to somebody and then get it back. You can be in a better position that way. She is a double threat; she is so fast and has both attack and defensive skills.”

In addition to Jenkins, the Panthers boast some other good attacking players in junior Emma Quigley, junior Emily Goldman, and junior Maysa Amer.

“Emma, Emily, and Andrea have played together before and it shows,”added Arndt, the replacement for MC Heller, who guided PDS to a 7-8-1 record in 2011 before leaving the program.

“Maysa got in the right spot at the right time and got a goal for us in a scrimmage against WW/P-S. She knows that she still has to work on her skills.”

PDS is getting some good work in the midfield from juniors Mary Travers and Sarah Brennan.

“Brennan and Travers are holding down the center of the midfield,” said Arndt.

“Mary sees the field well and is a good distributor. Sarah has tenacity; she is around every ball.”

PDS also features a group of younger players who are providing some tenacious play in the midfield.

“We have sophomores on the outside with Dana Poltorak, Morgan Foster, and Bian Maloney,” said Arndt, who has other sophomores Niki van Manen and Sophie Jensen seeing time in the midfield. “They are holding their own; they are all playing well.”

The Panther defense features a quartet of battle-tested seniors in tri-captain Corinne Urisko, Zeeza Cole, tri-captain Cami McNeely, and Sarah Trigg.

“We have Corinne in the middle, Zeeza on the left, Cami on the right, and Sarah in goal,” said Arndt.

“They are committed girls with a high work ethic. I wouldn’t want to try to get through them.”

Arndt has been particularly impressed with how tough Trigg plays in the cage.

“Trigg has been doing a great job; she has the focus that is unique to goalies,” said Arndt, noting that sophomore Katie Alden will be serving as the team’s back-up goalie.

“She can be as sweet as pie but when she puts on that goalie mask, watch out. She has the skills and she is communicating where she needs the defense to be.”

In reflecting on the keys to success this fall, Arndt points to team defense and opportunistic finishing.

“I think one of the keys on defense is to start from the forwards and play all over the field; you need to be patient but aggressive,” said Arndt.

“When we get the ball on attack, it has to be all systems go. We need to sharpen our finishing, whether it be finishing a shot, pass, or tackle.”

Drawing on her field hockey background, Arndt is looking for a high level of commitment from her players.

“I have talked to them about my expectations for them as people first and then as hockey players,” said Arndt.

“I told them I want to see professionalism and a sense of urgency. I want them to take it game by game and half by half. If you focus on the small things, the big stuff will take care of itself.”