ROCK AND ROLL: Princeton Day School girls’ hockey players, from left, Lauren Chase, Lily Ryan, and Logan Harrison celebrate a goal last Thursday as second-seeded PDS edged third-seeded Summit 4-3 in overtime in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) state semis. The win earned the Panthers a trip to state girls’ title game at the Prudential Center in Newark for a clash on Monday with top-seeded Morristown-Beard. The afternoon at “The Rock” didn’t go as well for PDS as it fell 7-0 to the Crimson to finish the season at 14-6. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Last Monday, the Princeton Day School girls’ hockey team ended the season exactly where it wanted to be.

After having won the state Prep title in early February, second-seeded PDS produced a second stirring tournament run, advancing to the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) state girls’ title game at the Prudential Center in Newark for a clash on Monday with top-seeded Morristown-Beard.

The Panthers, who had edged Mo-Beard 3-2 in the Prep semis on the way to that title, dug an early 2-0 hole in the rematch with the Crimson.

Although PDS trailed 2-0 heading into the second period, Panther head coach John Ritchie wasn’t fazed.

“I thought the first period, we just played nervous,” said Ritchie, whose program was making its first appearance in the NJSIAA state tourney.

“Looking at the deficit after the first period, it was still very manageable. It was only a two-goal game.”

But Mo-Beard responded with three unanswered goals in the second period and never looked back on the way to a 7-0 win.

“The backbreaker for us was the shorthanded goals that we gave up in the second on the 5-on-3s that we had consecutively,” said Ritchie, whose team ended the season with a 14-6 record.

Crimson star Leah Stecker, who is headed to Penn State, ended up dominating the game, tallying four goals and an assist.

“In order to compete and be in that game, we were going to have to figure out an answer for Leah Stecker and unfortunately we did not,” acknowledged Ritchie.

PDS had the answers much of the season, winning 10 of its last 12 games while earning its first state Prep title since 2002 along the way.

“There was a lot to be proud of, I think we exceeded expectations,” said Ritchie, whose squad blanked Oak Knoll 5-0 in the Prep final after the win over Mo-Beard in the semis.

“Winning the Prep title was huge. If you had told me at the beginning of the year what did we have a better chance of doing — making the state finals or winning Preps — I probably would have thought the state final with a good seed.”

In reflecting on the team’s success, Ritchie pointed to grit as a key factor.

“Overall if I had to quantify this group, it is just a very blue collar, hard working group that is going to give up skills but they are going to outwork you,” said Ritchie.

The Panthers got some good work on and off the ice from its senior group which included Ally Antonacci, Natalie Celso, Franny Gallagher, Lizzie Thomas, Courtney Richter, Frances Bobbitt, and Rebecca Wilner.

“The bulk of them play a huge role as the centerpiece of the locker room,” said Ritchie. “Even if they are not playing, they are constantly going on the bench, cheering on the girls. A big, big challenge is going to be figuring out who is going to replace Ally and Nat. Ally up front and Nat in the back, those are big shoes to fill.”

With such returners as juniors Abby Ashman, Nora Appleby, Lauren Chase, and Claire Meehan along with sophomores Logan Harrison, Emily McCann, Izzy Cook, and Lily Ryan and freshmen Eibhleann Knox, Aerin Bruno, and Grace Ulrich, PDS has the talent to make up for the graduation losses.

“Our core is really young,” said Ritchie. “I think going into next year, it puts us in a situation where our girls can come back with the mindset of being hungry.”

The experience of coming up short on Monday should help fuel that hunger.

“At the beginning of the year, our goal was to be in this game,” said Ritchie. “That goal changes next year to not just get there.”

But no matter the final result, the journey of getting to “The Rock” this year will leave a lot of great memories.

“Obviously it is disappointing but what I said to them is that in a week we will be able to reflect back and say, ‘wow that was a pretty special year for PDS girls’ hockey,’” said Ritchie. “Overall, we have a lot to be proud of and a lot to really look back on and be happy about.”