CENTURY CLUB: Princeton High field hockey player Avery Peterson races upfield in a game last season. Last Wednesday, senior star Peterson scored two second half goals to help PHS rally to a 2-1 win over visiting Notre Dame. In the process, Peterson passed the 100-point mark in her career with the Little Tigers. On Monday, Peterson contributed an assist to help the Little Tigers defeat Nottingham 8-0 to improve to 5-0-1. PHS plays at WW/P-N on September 28 before hosting Hamilton on September 30 and Burlington Township on October 4. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Even though the Princeton High field hockey team trailed Notre Dame 1-0 at halftime last Wednesday, Avery Peterson was confident that they could right the ship.

“We had problems in the beginning working together, we weren’t really communicating,” said PHS senior star forward Peterson.

“I think we tried during halftime to bring back the intensity. We always talk about how our game is a passing game; we really tried to have that in the second half.”

Over the final 30 minutes of the contest, Peterson brought her game, scoring a pair of goals in sparking PHS to a come-from-behind 2-1 win over the Irish.

“It started clicking more as the game went on, we worked through it,” said Peterson.

Peterson’s first tally came with 23:54 remaining in regulation as she battled through a scrum in the circle to get the ball past the Notre Dame goalie.

“It was definitely a joint effort, everyone was trying to get in really, really badly,” recalled Peterson.

“Kennedy Corrado and Mariana Lopez-Ona were all trying to get it in. Everyone was working so hard from Jamaica Ponder, Maddie Deutsch, and Kate Wenzler in the back all the way up. Georgia McLean and Jordyn Cane, our midfielders, were working hard and transferring the ball. It was all like a scramble and then I saw the ball and I just kept trying to hit it in and finally I got it in.”

For Peterson, getting that goal was special on many levels as it pushed her past the 100-point mark in her PHS career.

“For this to get me over 100 points in this game really means a lot,” said Peterson. “Notre Dame is a tough opponent for us, it is such an equal game.”

Peterson showed her toughness in the circle on the game-winning goal, once again fighting through a logjam of players to score with 28.4 seconds remaining in regulation.

“It was a hard ball in from Mariana and Anna Cincotta brought it into the circle; she was working really hard to get it in,” said Peterson.

“Then it came in and it went out wide and I turned around and hit it in. It was going out, I reached and luckily I was able to get it in.”

In Peterson‘s view, pulling out the win over Notre Dame was the product of PHS keeping its nose to the grindstone.

“We have worked really hard to get here through our scrimmages and preseason,” said Peterson, who is planning to play field hockey at the next level for Haverford College.

“We really wanted it, this really means a lot to us. We have had such a good season so far. It is still really early but we are working in the right direction, it is awesome.”

PHS head coach Heather Serverson was relieved to see her team overcome its shaky start against Notre Dame.

“I just told then to calm down and start some positive communication to get the team feel back on the field and make sure you are passing stick to stick because we kept giving them the ball,” said Serverson, reflecting on her halftime message.

“They did everything they were supposed to do. Finally we started connecting. We were actually moving the ball and weaving the ball down so we weren’t going straight through the defenders.”

In Serverson’s view, Peterson is a positive force driving the Little Tigers.

“Avery is obviously an awesome role model, she is a great leader,” said Serverson.

“She is really steady and even keeled and the girls feed off of that. Avery is never really super excited or super down, even if she feels differently inside. That rubs off on the rest of the girls. They don’t get flustered, it is let’s get the next one.”

Senior midfielder Georgia McLean has emerged as another great leader for PHS.

“I don’t think Georgia gets enough credit for what she does in the midfield,” said Serverson. “That girl is a hustler, she is at both ends when you need her. She really wants it, she gets them motivated. She is one of her captains too so it is part of her job but it is who she is. She is always ready to be a competitor.”

The team’s competitive fire and capacity for improvement has Serverson looking forward to the rest of the fall.

“I am glad it worked out today; I am happy that we are learning from the games,” said Serverson, whose team defeated Nottingham 8-0 last Monday to improve to 5-0-1 and plays at WW/P-N on September 28 before hosting Hamilton on September 30 and Burlington Township on October 4.

“We are really analyzing what the flaws are in our game and specifically what we are going to practice. The girls have responded really well to that so if we can keep that going, there are good things ahead.”

Peterson, for her part, is hoping to go out in a blaze of glory in her final campaign.

“We have eight returning seniors; we have really been working together and working up to something big here,” said Peterson.

“Last year, we were in the MCT semifinals but we didn’t end up winning. This year we are going to come and try to hit it hard. We are definitely trying to go for the county title.”