KICKING INTO GEAR: Princeton University women’s soccer player Mikaela Symanovich kicks the ball in a game earlier this season. Last Saturday, sophomore defender Symanovich contributed two assists to help Princeton defeat Columbia 3-1 and win its ninth straight game. The Tigers, now 11-3 overall and 4-0 Ivy League, head to New England this Saturday for a pivotal clash at defending league champion Harvard (7-6-1 overall, 4-0 Ivy). (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Despite moving to defense from midfield this fall in her sophomore season on the Princeton University women’s soccer team, Mikaela Symanovich has emerged as an offensive catalyst for the Tigers.

After contributing a goal and three assists last fall, Symanovich already has six assists so far this season.

In reflecting on her playmaking prowess, Symanovich believes that having a season of college soccer under her belt has made a big difference.

“Last year, I was outside mid a lot and this year I have been dropped back a little bit,” said Symanovich, a native of San Francisco.

“Definitely the biggest change as a sophomore is having a little bit more confidence on the ball and having more of a leadership role within the team. Those have been huge factors helping me this season.”

Last Saturday evening, Symanovich displayed her ball skills, getting assists on two early goals as Princeton defeated Columbia 3-1, improving to 11-3 overall and 4-0 Ivy League, posting their ninth straight win in the process.

“Our forwards are really great at getting on the end of crosses if you get it a little behind the defense,” said Symanovich, who found junior star Tyler Lussi for a header 10:56 into the game and then blasted a cross into the box two minutes later that was bodied into the net by freshman standout Mimi Asom.

“It has definitely worked for us on a few goals. I had another one with Sam McDonough that connected in an earlier game against Army. A lot of time, I try to look for that because the forwards want to get on the end of that. They are good at getting the extra inch to get that shot.”

The Tigers hit the pitch with a little extra edge Saturday, fueled by a tough loss to the Lions in 2014.

“Last year we played them at Columbia and we ended up losing 1-0,” said Symanovich.

“When we look back on that game, it was a huge deciding factor in our season last year. It effectively ended our season. So there was a lot of motivation to end their season this time. We have a lot of momentum for sure and that definitely helps us and gets us amped up for the game.”

Princeton built a 3-0 lead early in the second half on a tally by Emily Sura before giving up a goal with just over 15 minutes left in regulation. The Tigers shut the door on the Lions from that point.

“When you are up by a few goals it is easy to let up and end up kicking it a lot,” said Symanovich.

“I think we really had to maintain focus there once they get one and not let it continue to snowball there and get any more.”

As things have snowballed for the Tigers during their winning streak, Symanovich believes a love for competition has sparked the team.

“Honestly I think our team has a really great chemistry and dynamic,” asserted Symanovich.

“People are lifting each other up and nobody on this team wants to lose, these are some of the most competitive girls I have played with. We have that continuous competitive nature in practice with everyone pushing each other. We do not want to let up.”

In Symanovich’s view, letting wins get away in one-goal losses to Duquesne and Delaware early in September steeled Princeton.

“Of the three games that we lost, we felt that we should not have lost two of them,” said Symanovich. “I think that a switch within us turned a little bit because we didn’t want to continue our season like that.”

While Princeton head coach Sean Driscoll was pleased with his team’s performance in the win over Columbia, he acknowledged that it turned off the switch at times.

“They were chomping at the bit to play, you could just see the energy, it was very clear,” said Driscoll.

“We did really well for the first 25 minutes and then we fell off a little bit. I thought we dropped our level. It is what happens all the time, you get a couple of quick goals and you tend to drop off.”

In Driscoll’s view, the Tigers have picked things up at the defensive end.

“We have three shutouts in the last five games so conceding a goal is a little unfortunate,” said Driscoll.

“They are doing better in the league. I think we have scored 13 goals and given up three. That is a plus-10 so that is awesome. I hope we can keep it going.”

The play of Symanovich has helped the defensive unit get it going. “Mikaela is a converted wide forward; she has been very welcome to playing in the back,” said Driscoll.

“She is playing a ton of minutes. She is an incredibly hard worker. She never stops and she has been rewarded for her fitness level. She is relentless. She gets forward and gets involved in the play. She is just really very energetic and you have got to love that.”

Driscoll loves the way his team has come together in his first year at the helm of the program.

“It is the chemistry of the team, they want to win desperately,” said Driscoll.

“They want to right any teams that they have lost to over the last couple of years. They hadn’t beaten Columbia in a couple of years and they wanted to repay that so that was a good result for them. That is their motivation right now, trying to improve on things maybe they didn’t do as well in the past so they are a very fired up and intense group.”

Princeton is very fired up for its next game as it heads to the Boston area for a pivotal clash at defending league champion Harvard (7-6-1 overall, 4-0 Ivy) on October 24.

“That game was highlighted before the season even started because that is the team everything goes through,” said Driscoll.

“Harvard is the two-time defending champ. They deserve to be in that position and until someone dethrones them, they remain the champ. We have to go up there and play at their place and try to get a result. We can’t do much more than win our last nine games and be undefeated in the league. They are playing really well, they are undefeated in the league and they haven’t given up a goal in conference. It should be a great game.”

Symanovich, for her part, is confident that the Tigers will give a great effort against the Crimson.

“We have definitely been looking forward to this game the whole season,” said Symanovich.

“Every single game that we have played, we wanted to make a statement to them. We wanted to come up with as much momentum as possible so I think everyone is really excited to get back at them for the game last year (a 5-4 loss), that was really close.”