GETTING UP TO SPEED: Princeton Day School field hockey player Charlotte Mullen races upfield in action last fall. Senior midfielder Mullen figures to be a key performer for the Panthers this season. PDS, which lost 3-1 to Peddie in its season opener last Friday, plays at Hightstown on September 11 before hosting Lawrence High on September 13 and WW/P-South on September 16. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

As Heather Farlow prepared her Princeton Day School field hockey team for the 2024 season, she looked to channel the coaching philosophy that helped the U.S. women’s soccer team earn a gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

“I am stealing from Emma Hayes and what she did with the U.S. women’s soccer team, making sure that the players really have joy in what they do,” said PDS head coach Farlow, who guided PDS to a 15-4-1 record last fall.

The PDS players have responded well to that approach. “The mood is great, it is a very nice group,” said Farlow. “They have bonded nicely. They are excited for the season. We will be on the younger side this year for sure.”

Farlow is expecting some nice things from sophomore Sammy Dandy (3 goals, 1 assist in 2023), junior Amelia Lach (3 goals), and sophomore Lili Flink on the forward line.

“Sammy and Amelia are looking great,” said Farlow, whose team fell 3-1 to Peddie last Friday in its season opener. “Amelia played up front her freshman year, we moved her to mid last year and we are probably going to move her back up front. Sammy is an ice hockey player and she is a finisher. Flink is playing right wing on the front line. She worked hard in the offseason too, she played club.”

In the midfield, senior Charlotte Mullen (1 goal) and junior Brynn Dandy (2 goals) will be leading the way along with freshmen Olivia Herscovici and Lena Wijaya.

“Charlotte has good vision, she is calm, cool, and collected, she is very hardworking,” said Farlow. “Brynn, being an ice hockey kid like her sister Sammy, is scrappy. She gained a lot of game experience last year, she just continues to get better. Olivia plays for Total Dutch, she has skill. Lena played field hockey for the first time last year; she is still learning but she is fast.”

Sophomore Reagan Falconi (1 goal) and freshman Layla Sosner figure to spearhead the Panther backline.

“Reagan has got a great hit, she is athletic and steps to the ball well,” said Farlow. “She got some really good valuable experience last year in the back for us. Layla is an ice hockey kid as well, she has been great so far. I have her playing in back.”

Senior Molly Hall (47 saves in 2023) is back at goalie and is primed for a big final season.

“Molly has been looking great,” said Farlow, noting that Hall also plays for the Uprise club program. “She has worked really hard in the offseason to get better.”

With a roster of only 16 players, it will be all hands on deck for the Panthers this fall.
“Keeping everybody healthy is going to be key; we are going to have to be tough because of our numbers,” said Farlow, whose team plays at Hightstown on September 11 before hosting Lawrence

High on September 13 and WW/P-South on September 16. “We may suffer a little bit from getting tired, from playing through and not being able to take some kids off the field to re-set. We may take some lumps early but just staying focused I think that we are going to get better and better.”