GOOD GIG: Princeton High girls’ swimming star Marisa Giglio flies through the water in recent action. Last Thursday, junior Giglio posted wins in the 200 freestyle and the 100 breaststroke to help PHS top Steinert 114-56 and improve to 7-1. The Little Tigers have a meet at Notre Dame on January 20 before hosting Hightstown on January 24. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Marisa Giglio and her teammates on the Princeton High girls’ swimming team brought a little extra motivation into their meet last Thursday against Steinert.

After losing 100-70 to powerful WW/P-S two days earlier and tasting defeat for the first time this season, the Little Tigers were ready to put that setback behind them.

“After a hard loss at South, it is nice to have a good hard meet and come out and work really hard,” said junior star Giglio.

PHS put in some good work as it cruised to a 114-56 win over the Spartans and improved to 7-1.

“I am really happy that we didn’t get down from South and that we came back and did really well in this meet,” said Giglio.

With wins in the 200 freestyle and the 100 breaststroke, Giglio certainly did well in the victory over Steinert.

“If you lose your own race at say South, then you get yourself a little bit down and you need to come back from that,” added Giglio, who also helped PHS to victories in the 200 medley relay and 200 free relay.

The Little Tigers will be looking to come up big this week as they take on WW/P-N and Notre Dame.

“We have had a good season; we could be even faster,” said Giglio. “We are hoping to do better with meets like North and Notre Dame coming up.”

PHS head coach Greg Hand liked the way his girls team came through against Steinert as it bounced back from the WW/P-S loss.

“There is an adage about controlling the things that you can control but nobody likes to lose on the scoreboard,” said Hand, whose other individual winners in the Steinert meet included Serena Deardorff in the 200 individual medley, Nicole Kratzer in the 500 free, and Christie Samios in the 100 backstroke.

“I think our kids seemed to understand that the attitude is based on truth and they work hard. I know it would be more disappointing to lose to a team in a squeaker; South is just very strong. The good thing about swimming against South is that they always swim with enthusiasm. The challenge of swimming against a good team is to see if you can do your best against the best.”

Hand depends on Giglio to be one of his best swimmers. “Marisa did a real nice job in both of her swims today; she has trained hard through the break,” said Hand.

“She is a very committed athlete. It may be happening inside but she doesn’t appear to worry too much about her own performance. She just seems to get in there and do the best that she can; that is a positive influence on everybody.”

Giglio, for her part, is confident that PHS can produce a positive finish to its season.

“We are getting really excited and we are starting to think about what we are going to swim individually,” said Giglio, reflecting on the county championship meet which is slated for February 4 at Lawrence High.

“It is an exciting time right now. Everything is coming, the counties and the state meets.”