RARE AIR: Princeton Day School girls’ soccer player Ariana Jones, right, heads the ball in recent action. Last Thursday, sophomore forward Jones tallied a goal and an assist to help second-seeded PDS top sixth-seeded Newark Academy 6-0 in the Prep B semis. The Panthers, who improved to 12-6 in the win, play at top-seeded Montclair Kimberley Academy in the Prep B title game on November 1. PDS will be going for its fifth straight Prep B crown. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

After getting pushed around in a 1-0 loss to Steinert in the Mercer County Tournament quarterfinals on October 21, the Princeton Day School girls’ soccer team realized it had to toughen up as it turned its focus to pursuing a state Prep B title.

“We worked all practice this week on being physical,” said PDS sophomore forward Ariana Jones.

“It was our top thing this week, being physical, running through balls and getting through everything.”

As the second-seeded Panthers hosted sixth-seeded Newark Academy in the Prep B semis last Thursday, Jones helped PDS power to a 6-0 win, tallying a goal and an assist. The Panthers, now 12-6, will go for their fifth straight Prep B crown when they play at top-seeded Montclair Kimberley Academy on November 1.

In the view of Jones, PDS showed championship form as it pulled away from Newark Academy.

“Everything was working through the midfield,” said Jones. “We were getting those one-two touch passes; we were playing quicker.”

Midway through the first half, Jones took a touch and buried it for a goal as PDS went up 2-0.

“Maddie Coyne always tells me, take the touch across because if I take that touch, she is either going to find me or I am going to go to goal,” said Jones.

“It just worked out that time. I am grateful for her because she always tells me what to do and it always works out.”

Early in the second half, Jones found Kelly Beal going to goal and slotted the ball to the freshman star who deposited it in the back of the net to give the Panthers a 4-0 lead.

“This game, playing through the midfield, everyone is giving me good balls, either for me to shoot or for me to play to someone else,” said Jones. “We worked really well.”

Jones has been playing really well down the stretch, having tallied six goals and two assists in PDS’ last four games.

“I was playing in the midfield a lot, I start at forward now and I think that has a big part in it,” said Jones.

“Coach [Pat] Trombetta really had confidence in me and he put a lot on me to pick up this team and try to get us back in our normal swing of the game. When he puts me up there, I know I have to score. It is my job and the team is relying on me, so if I don’t do it, I feel like I let them down.”

PDS head coach Pat Trombetta liked the way his squad took care of business in the win over Newark.

“They play a compact defense so we were trying to use the width and I thought we did a great job attacking from the outside,” said Trombetta.

In Trombetta’s view, Jones has done a great job establishing herself as a scoring threat.

“Ariana has done a great job as a target player for us,” said Trombetta. “We have used her in the past in the midfield. This year we put her up top as a target player and she has really grown into that role and she is doing good things for us.”

Freshman Beal has grown into a dangerous player for the Panthers, ending up with a hat trick for the day against Newark.

“That was fantastic; we told Kelly to utilize her speed and a lot of times she is cutting in,” said Trombetta.

“We asked to use the width and take the ball down, she has been dong a great job. She had a couple of great finishes today; she is a nice talent.”

By virtue of the triumph last Thursday, PDS earned a shot at a great feat, keeping alive its bid for a fifth straight Prep B crown.

“This is the fifth championship game in a row,” said Trombetta, whose team shared the 2016 title with MKA after the teams played to a 0-0 draw in a contest shortened by a thunderstorm.

“I don’t think any team in school history has won five championships. That was one of our goals from the get-go and it is still there.”

Jones, for her part, believes the Panthers can make history. “It is a goal for us and we have got to go for it,” said Jones.

“We played MKA in preseason and that was a big game because we took the win from them. We know they have gotten stronger through the season. We have got to be on our game.”