LINING IT UP: Princeton Day School girls’ hockey player Caroline Haggerty goes after the puck in a game last winter. Last Friday, junior defenseman Haggerty scored a goal to help PDS edge Immaculate Heart 2-1. On Monday, Haggerty chipped in a goal and two assists as the Panthers topped Princeton High 6-1 to improve to 9-9. PDS hosts Chatham Madison on January 30 before getting into postseason play. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

In mid-January, the Princeton Day School girls’ hockey team edged Immaculate Heart Academy 3-2.

When the foes met for a rematch last Friday at PDS, it appeared that Immaculate Heart might be turning the tables on the Panthers as it took 1-0 lead early in the second period.

PHS junior defenseman Caroline Haggerty acknowledged that she felt a little edgy about round two with the Blue Eagles.

“We weren’t really sure about this game, it was so close last time,” said Haggerty.

“We heard that one of their players last time had been injured; so I was kind of nervous going in.”

The Panthers, though, weren’t going to be deterred by the deficit.

“I think we got it back pretty quickly; it is a team effort,” said Haggerty.

Getting the teams back to level, Haggerty lofted a shot from the point that fluttered past the Immaculate Heart goalie with 6:52 remaining in the period.

“It got deflected; one of their girls tried to catch it,” said Haggerty. “It went in.”

In the third period, PDS senior star and team captain Julie Patterson got one in with 8:25 remaining in regulation that ended up making the difference as PDS prevailed 2-1.

Haggerty wasn’t surprised that Patterson came through in the clutch.

“She is essential; that was the game winner for us,” said Haggerty. “There are games where she gets hat tricks. She is always good at carrying the puck and making sure that we stay on our game.”

The PDS defensive unit was on its game, thwarting the Blue Eagles down the stretch.

“We were running three defensemen today, we were all pretty tired, but we were able to hold in there,” said Haggerty. “Hannah Choe and Natalie Celso both played really well.”

Starring as a defender in the fall for the PDS field hockey team, Haggerty has used that mindset to aid her on the ice.

“That does help with just knowing where to position myself,” said Haggerty, who chipped in a goal and two assists last Monday as the Panthers topped Princeton High 6-1 to improved to 9-9.

“The coaching has definitely helped me improve, just at practice. I think what I have improved on the most is my game sense rather than my skills. I am more confident on the puck now that I am older and I am able to make some better passes.”

Another thing making Haggerty feel better this season is the presence of her twin sister Charlotte on the squad.

“It is really cool, she didn’t play freshman or sophomore year,” said Haggerty.“Now she is playing and also doing the musical, trying to do both.”

The Panthers will be trying to do well as they head into the postseason, taking part in the WIHLMA (Women’s Interscholastic Hockey League of the Mid-Atlantic) playoffs and the state Prep tourney.

“We are going to go up against Holton Arms in the league playoffs, we want to beat them; we felt we got cheated out of that game the last time (a 2-1 loss on December 15) because we were missing a ton of people,” said Haggerty, who was sidelined for that contest due to illness.

“We are also really excited about Preps. We have been in the finals the last two years and both times we lost to Mo Beard. This year we beat Mo Beard 5-1 (on January 18), so that was awesome.”