FRESH APPROACH: Princeton Day School girls’ hockey player Hark Sandhu controls the puck in a game early this season. Freshman Sandhu helped second-seeded PDS defeat third-seeded Immaculate Heart Academy 4-3 last Wednesday in the semifinal round of the Librera Cup. The Panthers, who improved to 10-5 with the win, were slated to face top-seeded Morristown-Beard in the Librera final on February 14. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Della Gilligan is just a freshman but she has already proved to be a versatile performer for the Princeton Day School girls’ hockey team.

“I was originally defense at the beginning of the year and then they switched me to forward,” said Gilligan. “It was a little nerve-wracking; we got through it.”

Last Wednesday, Gilligan came through at the offensive end with a pair of goals, including the game-winner in the third period, as second-seeded PDS edged third-seeded Immaculate Heart Academy 4-3 in the semifinal round of the Librera Cup.

Gilligan got PDS on the board with a goal midway through the first period.

“I went hard to the net and was hoping for the best,” said Gilligan. “I just smashed it in.”

The Panthers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second period on a goal by another freshman, Sammy Dandy, but Immaculate Heart responded with two unanswered goals to make it a 2-2 game heading into the third period.

“They did score two quick ones on us but we just went back into the locker room and regrouped,” said Gilligan. “We came out strong again.”

The Panthers forged ahead 3-2 on a goal by senior star Logan Harrison and then Gilligan struck again, poking in a shot in the middle of a scramble in the crease with 5:21 left in regulation.

“Logan gave us some momentum,” said Gilligan. “I don’t really remember what happened on my goal, I just went hard to the net.”

Having split two previous meetings with Immaculate, topping the Blue Eagles 4-2 on January 24 before losing to them 4-2 on January 29, PDS realized it would take a hard effort to win the rubber match.

“Going into the game, we knew we had to be on our A-game to beat them,” said Gilligan. “We were hyped from the morning.”

PDS assistant coach Jade Meier acknowledged that the Panthers had to pick up their game to come through last Wednesday.

“The last game was a little bit tougher for sure,” said Meier. “It was just about working hard and staying aggressive the whole game. I think in the last game we gave up two shorthanded goals.”

Meier credited Gilligan with fighting hard to get her first goal.

“That was a really gritty goal, those are the type of goals we have been trying to get more often; I think a lot of times we go for the super stylish shot,” said Meier. “Della has been a great addition along with Sammy and the other freshmen. She has been floating between forward and defense, she has the skill set for both. We use her in the ways we need to.”

The Panthers showed their grit collectively in the third period as they built a 4-2 lead and then held off Immaculate Heart after it scored with 1:49 left in the third period and then pulled its goalie to get an extra attacker.

“It was just to keep playing hard, we were definitely a little nervous,” said Meier. “I think going into the locker room, there were some faces that were down. We knew that this was going to be a battle. That was what we told the girls and they came out strong in the third.”

With PDS, now 10-5, facing top-seeded Morristown-Beard in the Librera final on February 14 at Twin Oaks Ice Rink in Morristown, Meier believes the Panthers can build on the win over the Blue Eagles.

“We are on the playoff run, we are focusing on the next game,” said Meier, whose squad will also be competing in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) tournament later this month. “It is a great way to build momentum, especially coming into states. I think the things we have been doing throughout the season have really brought us to today. It is great to see their hard work paying off.”

Gilligan is confident that PDS will keep focused down the stretch.

“We have just got to keep the energy up, today the energy was going all day,” said Gilligan. “I also feel like we had some good communication on the ice which helped its figure out where other people were.”