CENTURY CLUB: Princeton High girls’ soccer goalie Julia Zaldarriaga boots the ball last Saturday against the Hun School. Sophomore star Zaldarriaga earned a shutout and made her 100th career save in the process as the local foes battled to a 0-0 draw. PHS, which moved to 1-2-2 with the tie, hosts WW/P-North on September 26 and Hopewell Valley on September 28 before playing at Notre Dame on October 1. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Julia Zaldarriaga is only a sophomore but she has already hit a special milestone for the Princeton High girls’ soccer team.

Last Saturday, sophomore goalie Zaldarriaga recorded the 100th save of her career, helping PHS play to a 0-0 draw with crosstown rival Hun School.

While Zaldarriaga was proud of the milestone, she was more excited about the defensive effort produced by the Tigers against Hun as they moved to 1-2-2.

“Getting 100 saves is pretty cool,” said a smiling Zaldarriaga. “I thought our defense did really well, we had it under control. That is a good thing. Our defense has been working hard, we have had a good defensive season.”

In reflecting on her progress, Zaldarriaga believes her work outside of PHS has made a big difference.

“I have improved a lot with my club team,” said Zaldarriaga, who plays club soccer with the Players Development Academy (PDA). “My club helps me a lot with how I improve year to year. I get taller, I can cover more, I get more agile, I dive better.”

Having a high school season under her belt has been another key factor in Zaldarriaga’s development.

“Going into freshman year, you don’t know what it is really like,” said Zaldarriaga. “Now sophomore year, I know what to expect.”

As a result, Zaldarriaga has been speaking up more on the field.

“I am comfortable with my team, that is a good thing,” said Zaldarriaga. “I love my defenders, I hope my defenders love me.”

Zaldarriaga loves playing with her older sister, PHS senior midfielder and team co-captain Marina.

“We both started playing at the same time,” said Zaldarriaga. “This is my last season with her so I am excited. It is a sisterhood on the field. It is nice.”

PHS first-year head coach Meghan Brennan was excited to see her players battle local rival Hun.

“I think it is always fun to play a school within Princeton, there is a rivalry,” said Brennan. “A lot of their girls play club together, so they know each other. It is fun for them to play against each other as well.”

While the Tigers played well, keeping the ball in their offensive end for most of the contest, they didn’t cash in their opportunities.

“We had a lot of possession, I thought we found feet really well, we were possessing up the field,” said Brennan. “I feel like today was one of the first times where they really clicked and possessed well. It wasn’t just passes. We just struggled to finish.”

In assessing her squad’s struggles around the goal, Brennan believes her players will start clicking in that aspect of the game.

“I think part of it is that we have had a really tough start to the season in terms of opponents,” said Brennan. “We have played really quality opponents which is a wonderful thing because it is good practice. We are still figuring each other out, especially in the final third.”

Having Zaldarriaga in goal has been a very good thing for the Tigers.

“Julia is incredible, what sophomore would have 100 saves,” said Brennan. “She is just so good and so reliable. She is so good with her feet too, which when we are possessing is so helpful. She was exemplary last year. She came in so good and then still got better which is unreal. It is really special.”

The squad’s defensive unit of senior Ava Tabeart, sophomore Mathilde Pouliot, sophomore Helena Murray, and freshman Malia Yates Burnett has been getting better and better.

“Ava, Mathilde, Helena and Malia have played well,” said Brennan. “The fact that Malia is a freshman and coming out and winning balls and physical battles is so impressive. She has a really, really bright future for us.”

As for the PHS offense, junior Romy Johnson (2 goals) and senior Kacey Howes (1 goals, 3 assists) have been impressive.

“Romy has stepped up, I put her on the outside mid,” said Brennan. “She is very good one-v-one, she has been very good as an attacker. In the past, she was more of a defender, I think she is coming into her own on the outside. Kasey is doing really well. She is a workhorse, she works so hard. She will win the ball and keep it at her feet. She is so fast. The other thing with Kasey is that she really takes whatever we say or any feedback and implements it so well. She is so coachable, she learns so quickly.”

Brennan is hoping that her players get up to speed when it comes to finishing.

“We have to practice it more, some of it is confidence too,” said Brennan, whose team hosts WW/P-North on September 26 and Hopewell Valley on September 28 before playing at Notre Dame on October 1. “I think once we start scoring, it will be like the floodgates have opened.”

Zaldarriaga is confident that PHS will get it together at both ends of the field.

“When you finish and score goals and defend well, that is how you win games,” said Zaldarriaga.