FRENCH CONNECTION: Princeton Day School girls’ hockey player Kiely French takes the puck up the ice in a game earlier this season. Last Thursday, sophomore defenseman French scored a goal to help PDS top Princeton High 3-0. The Panthers, now 4-3, are next in action when they host PHS on January 5. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Kiely French was moved to defense this fall for the Princeton Day School field hockey team and emerged as a key contributor.

This winter, sophomore French has been asked to switch from her natural position of forward to defense to solidify things along the blue line for the PDS girls’ hockey team.

As a result, French is applying some of the lessons she learned this fall to the ice.

“I have never played defense; I think it is difficult at first,” said French. “At the beginning the toughest thing was probably learning which girl to play on a 2-on-1 because I was so used to playing the girl who had the puck and I forgot to look back. In field hockey, I played defense and I think that is transferring over. I am becoming more confident and I have started trying things that I wouldn’t normally be comfortable with.”

Displaying her confidence last Wednesday as PDS hosted Princeton High, French went end-to-end with the puck with less than a minute remaining in the second period and fired it into the back of the net for a goal.

“I looked up and I didn’t see anyone open so I just took it,” said French, reflecting on her tally.

“I saw the defense and I was like I am going to go around her. Lorna (PDS head coach Lorna Cook) told me to go around her so I am going to go around her. I saw the whole left side of the net was open in between her gloves and her pads so I just shot there. I was really happy.”

French was happy to give PDS a little breathing room after it took a 1-0 lead on a first period goal by sophomore star Kristi Serafin.

“It definitely made us feel more relaxed,” said French referring to Serafin’s tally.

“I think it fired us up more to score more so we would be more ahead and we would just keep going and just completely say we are winning this game.”

PDS went on to post a 3-0 win with Serafin adding a third period goal as the Panthers take a 4-3 record into the holiday break.

French acknowledged that an improved PHS squad gave PDS a stiff test. “I think a lot of us knew that they had more club players than in previous years; I think we were a lot more fired up,” said French, reflecting on the victory which saw senior goalie and captain Katie Alden make 12 saves in earning the shutout.

“In the locker room, we were all singing and dancing,” said French. “We really wanted to win, especially because it was a home game and it was Kristi’s birthday.”

Entering PDS this year as a transfer, French has quickly found a home. “I love it so much, everyone was so welcoming,” asserted French. “I feel like I have been here my entire life.”

Looking ahead to the rest of the season, French feels PDS has room to grow.

“I think something we can build on is probably passing; I think we are doing a really good job compared to how our season started but I still think we can work on that,” said French.

“We also need to work on getting open for the puck and communication. We have started talking a lot more on the ice but I think we can still improve on that.”