GREEN DAY: Princeton Day School boys’ lacrosse goalie Connor Green guards the cage in action last week at the Mercer County Tournament. Sophomore Green starred as top-seeded PDS defeated fifth-seeded Notre Dame 11-4 in the MCT semis on May 9 and then topped third-seeded Princeton High 9-5 in the title game last Thursday. Green made 11 saves in the win over Notre Dame and then had eight stops in the victory over the Little Tigers as the Panthers earned their second straight county crown. PDS, now 13-2, will go for another title as the top-seeded Panthers host third-seeded Rutgers Prep in the state Prep B title game on May 17. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

After earning his stripes last spring as a freshman starting goalie for the Princeton Day School boys’ lacrosse team, Connor Green was determined to assume a more commanding presence this season.

“I think I have found my spot and I know what I need to be doing to help our team win where last year I was playing not to mess up,” said Green.

“I didn’t do too much because I had yet to find my voice. This year I have found my voice and I have been able to really direct traffic and it has helped me see the ball better.”

Last week, Green was on the ball in the Mercer County Tournament, recording 11 saves as PDS topped Notre Dame 11-4 in the semis on May 9 and then coming back two days  with eight saves as the Panthers topped Princeton High 9-5 in the title game to earn their second straight county crown.

In the win over Notre Dame, Green got into a rhythm with the aid of his defense.

“I think it was one of my better games; I saw the ball definitely but at the end of the day it is all my defense,” said Green. “They gave me the shots that I wanted. Those are shots I am willing to take on.”

In Green’s view, a willingness to sacrifice has made the PDS defensive unit particularly formidable.

“I think it is a sense of togetherness that our entire team has,” asserted Green.

“Everyone is in for this common goal and playing unselfish and that really reflects on the defensive side.”

Working with PDS head coach Rich D’Andrea, a former star goalie at the Peddie School and Georgetown University, has given Green a greater sense of confidence in the cage.

“Rich has been amazing, I would not be here without him from what I was in 8th grade to what I am just two years from that,” said Green, who started playing lacrosse in sixth grade.

“It’s been all coach D’Andrea, he has helped me with everything. It has been great.”

Applying that knowledge, Green kept a cool head under championship pressure with his eight-save effort in the win over PHS in the MCT title game.

“I like to treat it as just another game. That is all it really is,” said Green, who came up big again making 12 saves as top-seeded PDS defeated fourth-seeded Newark Academy 10-2 in the state Prep B semis last Monday and will host third-seeded Rutgers Prep in the final on May 17. “You can’t hype it up to more than it should be.”