GOLD STANDARD: Princeton High boys’ soccer player Andrew Goldsmith, right, battles for the ball in recent action. Last Saturday, senior midfielder Goldsmith contributed a goal as PHS edged Lawrenceville 4-3. The Little Tigers, now 6-1, host Nottingham on September 29 before playing at Hightstown on October 1. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

It didn’t take long for Andrew Goldsmith to face a moment of truth as the Princeton High boys’ soccer team played at the Lawrenceville School last Saturday.

Just 1:30 into the contest, PHS was awarded a penalty kick and senior midfielder and team co-captain Goldsmith stepped up to the spot and coolly rifled the ball into the lower corner to give the Little Tigers a 1-0 lead.

Utilizing his considerable experience helped Goldsmith bury his chance.

“When I was younger, I used to just try and put it in one corner or the other and have that in my mind,” said Goldsmith.

“But as you get older and play better goalies, you have to react to what they do. I saw he moved to his left early so that was really simple and I just put it in the other side.”

PHS made things look simple in the early stages of the game against the Big Red, scoring two more goals in a 6:34 span as T.J. Korsah and Alex Ratzan found the back of the net for the Little Tigers to make it 3-0 with 31:56 remaining in the first half.

“We just came out of the gates blazing,” said Goldsmith. “That is ideally what we should be doing every game.”

The game, however, turned into a nail-biter with PHS having to hold on for a 4-3 win as the Big Red scored once in the first half and then tallied twice in the second half after PHS senior star Sam Serxner had given the Little Tigers a 4-1 lead.

“Credit to them for coming back at us strong; we just need to learn to persevere,” said Goldsmith.

“If we give up one goal, we can’t give up a second goal and let them keep coming back into the game. We have just got to stay strong and if that means not pressing the whole game and sitting back to get our shape, that is what we have to do. We will talk it over, we will figure it out.”

In the wake of falling 3-1 to Robbinsville last Thursday to suffer its first defeat after starting the season with five straight wins, the Little Tigers were primed for a strong effort against Lawrenceville.

“We just really wanted to get after it,” said Goldsmith. “We realized that is in the past now and we have to keep moving forward after that game. We realize that this could be a big turning point and a big learning aspect because we know what we need to work on. With 16 new guys who hadn’t experienced a loss, it is good to get it out of their system before the big games and the tournaments come.”

Knowing the PHS system has helped Goldsmith emerge as a key weapon for the Little Tigers, who improved to 6-1 with the victory over the Big Red.

“I am used to our playing style; my main role is really getting into the attack, supporting the forwards when we play those big balls in and just helping out,” said Goldsmith.

“I am playing the balls wide and getting into the box, and really just creating; focusing on being a playmaker and being able to switch the ball.”

With three goals in PHS’s first seven games, Goldsmith is confident he can have a big final campaign for the Little Tigers.

“I just think it is really your mindset more than anything, it has always been a mind over matter type of thing,” said Goldsmith.

“Once you get over that hump and you get focused on just soccer and prove to other players what you can be, the game becomes so much easier. You just have to break through it once and then it becomes simple.”

PHS head coach Wayne Sutcliffe likes what he is seeing from Goldsmith.

“Andrew is making strong strides in his game; he is winning more battles defensively, he is winning more of the balls in the air,” said Sutcliffe.

“On the attacking end, he is giving us some quality; that is his third goal of the year. He is much better than last year but we all have miles to go.”

In Sutcliffe’s view, PHS will be better down the road from having survived the battle with Lawrenceville.

“We were in good shape with the 3-0 lead but give credit to Lawrenceville, they were a different team in the second half,” said Sutcliffe.

“It had a lot of elements, I think both teams will take a lot from it. We are finding ourselves in different periods of the match. Last year we were never behind in a game except for the MCT semis and the sectional semis. These are moments that give us experience.”

Sutcliffe is hoping that his squad will find itself contending for titles at the end of the fall.

“Clean sheets are preferred but the wins are the ultimate goal,” said Sutcliffe.

“I love the team, the personalities, the chemistry, their work rate, and their honesty. They are a great group. We only have seven seniors with 13 juniors and two sophomores. It is a young group but they are not an inexperienced group; they are all full-time players and we worked hard all summer.”

Goldsmith, for his part, has been energized by getting the chance to help the infusion of new talent blend into the mix for PHS.

“I have been looking forward to the year, maybe more than any other, because I have always loved being a leader,” said Goldsmith.

“Being able to take 16 new guys under my wing is truly an honor. It will be a great experience, making building blocks in the future. They are great players so with a little communication, we can be a great team.”