QUICK DRAW: Princeton High girls’ lacrosse star Taylor Lis battles for a draw control in a game last spring. Senior midfielder and Cornell-bound Lis figures to be a key offensive threat for PHS again this season. The Little Tigers start their 2016 campaign by playing at the Hun School on March 31. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Things were a little unsettled for the Princeton High girls’ lacrosse team as it took the field for preseason this spring.

“I think there was a bit of consternation coming into the start of the season with the graduation of Mira Shane and Oona Ryle and the departure of Allie Callaway, who moved over to Hun,” said PHS head coach David Schlesinger, who guided the Little Tigers to a 10-13 mark and a spot in the sectional semifinals last spring in his debut season with the program.

“We had two other girls who were starters last year, Jordyn Cane and Sydney Reynolds, who have decided not to continue to play lacrosse. There was a little bit of disappointment with all of that.”

Quickly putting that adversity in the rear view mirror, the Little Tigers are ready to hit the ground running as they open their 2016 campaign this week.

“The mood is quite bright right now,” said Schlesinger, whose team starts the season by playing at the Hun School on March 31.

“I think our preseason has been very strong. We have got a really terrific group of freshmen who are pushing the upperclassmen quite a bit. I think the girls are quite excited about the start of the season.”

Schlesinger is excited to have senior star and Cornell-bound Taylor Lis spearheading the PHS midfield.

“Taylor is our top returning midfielder, she is going to be our draw control specialist,” said Schlesinger.

“Taylor is a great athlete, she is remarkably fit, and she is fast and strong. She is a very, very smart player. The other midfielders right now will be Georgia McLean and Abaigeal Ryan. Georgia is a junior who started last year. Abaigeal is a sophomore who started for us all last year as a low defender but has moved up so she is playing in the offensive end and the defensive end.”

Ryan’s older sister, Temple-bound senior star Julia Ryan, has stepped up on attack.

“Julia Ryan has moved to attack and is playing at an exceptionally high level,” said Schlesinger.

“She will be there along with Mariana Lopez-Ona, who is a freshman, Margaret Jacobs, who is a sophomore, and Olivia Geller, who is a junior.”

On defense, PHS will be featuring a combination of experience and young talent.

“Gabby Deitch, a soccer commit to Vassar, is coming back for a second year as a starter on low defense,” said Schlesinger.

“Gwen Koehler has started on low defense last year as a sophomore and she is back. Sophia Navarrete, who played on our JV last year as a freshman has really committed to being a low defender over the summer with her club team and has improved dramatically so she is another starter. We have another freshman named Sophia Bolitho on defense.”

There is a dramatic void for PHS to fill at goalie with the graduation of four-year starter Shane, who is now starring for the University of Michigan.

“Mary Rose is a very courageous, athletic young player; she is still new to the position but she is gaining experience every day,” said Schelsinger.

“There is another goalie, Zoe Tesone, who we are waiting to start working with. Zoe injured her ankle during basketball season. If you have seen Zoe play soccer, you know what a good athlete she is so we will have a little depth at the position hopefully.”

As Schlesinger enters his second year working with the team, he believes the players are in synch with his approach.

“The girls know how I like to run things, even in just setting up for drills and the routine at the beginning of practice for stretching,” said Schlesinger.

“Knowing how I like to have things run, they are all bought in already so I don’t have to convince the team this year that this is the right way to go.”

Last spring, the Little Tigers enjoyed a late run, advancing to the Mercer County Tournament semifinals and then upsetting top-seeded Northern Highlands on the way to the North Group 3 sectional semifinals.

“The team really came together and really bought into playing the game the right way,” said Schlesinger, reflecting on the 2015 stretch drive. “Once that happens and once everyone commits to it, then it becomes pretty easy.”

In Schlesinger’s view, if things come together on the defensive end for PHS this spring, it could enjoy a superb campaign.

“We need to play very strong team defense; we will score goals but we need to be able to stop them and that is the whole key to our team,” asserted Schlesinger.

“If our team defense can improve consistently over the course of the season then we will be pretty good by the end of the year.”