FINDING HER WAY: Princeton High girls’ lacrosse player Allie Callaway heads to goal in recent action. Last Saturday, junior star and George Mason-bound Callaway scored two goals to help fifth-seeded PHS top No. 12 Stuart 20-4 in the first round of the Mercer County Tournament. The Little Tigers, who improved to 7-10 with the win, were slated to play at No. 4 Allentown in the quarterfinals on May 5 with the victor advancing to the semis on May 7. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

When the Princeton High girls’ lacrosse team lost to Lawrenceville last week to suffer its sixth straight defeat, it would have been easy to write off the squad’s chances to do anything in the postseason.

But PHS junior star Allie Callaway sensed that the Little Tigers would benefit from those tough losses down the road.

“Coach said that we are the best 5-10 team he has ever seen and everyone chuckled,” said Callaway.

“But honestly I think it is true. The games that we have played against tougher teams undoubtedly helped us get prepared for the postseason and our goals for the year which include Mercer County Tournament and the states.”

After rolling to a 19-1 win over Hamilton on April 28 with Callaway scoring four goals, PHS came roaring out of the game in the MCT as the fifth-seeded Little Tigers defeated 12th-seeded Stuart 20-4 last Saturday in a first round contest.

Callaway tallied two first-half goals as PHS built an 11-1 lead over the Tartans and never looked back.

“I think the offense is making some great plays; we have really constructed some attacking methods that work for the skills of some of the older girls and that has definitely helped us out,” said Callaway.

“We have some different plays, different angles that we can attack from and different people that can cut through and create space and distract the other teams.”

With two seasons of high school lax under her belt, Callaway is looking to be a bigger playmaker for the Little Tigers.

“I see myself as more of a leader now,” said Callaway. “I am able to get girls going into plays so they can capitalize on our opportunities. I have been working on my cuts up top which has really been helping me to improve.”

PHS head coach David Schlesinger liked the way his players capitalized on their opportunities in the win over Stuart.

“We were to able to dominate draw control and ground balls so we kept possession,” said Schlesinger.

“The first couple of shots, we shot right at the goalie and then we started finding our range. I thought they played great. I thought we moved the ball well, I think we had a lot of assisted goals. The whole game really revolves around draw control and maintaining possession and we did a great job of that.”

In Schlesinger’s view, the Little Tigers are on the right track after their mid-season skid.

“We lost six games in a row so it’s important for us to get our confidence back and dominating possession is the way to do that,” said Schlesinger, whose team fell to Princeton Day School, Rumson-Fair Haven, Hunterdon Central,  Allentown, and Notre Dame in addition to Lawrenceville in that losing streak.

“We are getting much smarter, we are making smarter passes. We are making good decisions with the ball; we are not taking bad shots any more. We are really improving.”

Callaway’s improvement has been a big plus for PHS. “Allie’s shot has been phenomenal; we are trying to find her more and free her up,” added Schlesinger.

“She has such a hard, accurate shot. She had struggles midway through the season with a little bit of a leg injury and I think she is feeling a lot better. She is getting her speed back, she played really well today. We have been able to count on her for some really great early goals.”

Junior star Taylor Lis has emerged as a great offensive weapon for the Little Tigers.

“Taylor dominated the draw, that is to start,” said Schlesinger of Lis, who tallied seven goals and an assist against Stuart. “She has just become a remarkable finisher. She knows when to shoot, when to fake. She gets lots of opportunities because she is such a talented player. She is fast, she has great endurance. She is becoming a really smart lacrosse player.”

Schlesinger pointed to sophomore Jordyn Cane as another player generating opportunities for his squad. After missing a few games due to illness, Cane showed she is at full strength in the win over Stuart, chipping in seven points on four goals and three assists.

“I told Jordyn in the beginning of the season that she is as talented a player as we have on the team,”  said Schlesinger.

“She has remarkable quickness, a great first step and dodge. She has really learned how to shoot this year. She is really putting it together, you can just see how natural the game comes to her, she makes it look effortless almost.”

Based on PHS’s effort against Stuart, it looks like the team could enjoy a fine stretch run.

“We are just trying to improve every day,” said Schlesinger, whose team is slated to play at No. 4 Allentown in the MCT quarterfinals on May 5 with the victor advancing to the semis on May 7.

“So if we play as well as we just did and get better from there, which is what we coach every day, then we’ll give any team tough competition. If we are in the game, we have really good talent and we’ll see what happens.”

Callaway, for her part, is confident that the Little Tigers can make some good things happen over the next few weeks.

“I think we are on the right track, we are getting there as a team,” said Callaway.

“Everyone is starting to play up to their abilities as a team and individually as well.”