(Photo by Bill Allen/NJ SportAction) caption: FRONTAL ASSAULT: Princeton Day School girls’ lacrosse star Hannah Epstein heads to goal in action last spring. PDS is looking for Epstein to have another big season on attack this spring. PDS opens its 2008 season by hosting Blair on April 2.

Featuring Key Veterans, Talented Newcomers, PDS Girls’ Lacrosse Reloading for Title Run

Bill Alden

On paper, it would appear that the Princeton Day School girls’ lacrosse team is looking at a rebuilding season this spring.

Last year, the Panthers went 17-2 and reached the state Prep A and Mercer County Tournament championship games, fueled by such senior stars Keely Langdon, Maria Cannavo, and the Crouse twins, Allie and Nina.

While acknowledging that the graduation of those seniors is leaving a void, PDS head coach Jill Thomas is confident that the program will still be a championship contender.

“We have to continue to have high expectations,” said Thomas, whose team opens its 2008 season by hosting Blair on April 2. “We have to work hard and build on where we were. We’re not going backward. We are reloading.”

The PDS offense should be going forward much of the season with seniors Hannah Epstein and Erin Burns together with juniors Cammie Linville and Georgia Travers leading the way. “We will have Hannah, Erin Burns, Cammie Linville, and Georgia Travers on offense,” said Thomas. “They work well together. We are mixing experience with the new.”

PDS has a talented group of new players in freshmen Sydney Jenkins, Katie Gibson, Carly O’Brien, Jackie Stevens, and the Frieder twins, Allison and Jess. “We have some young kids who are going to play,” said Thomas.

One of those kids, Jess Frieder, will play a key role right from the start as she replaces Cannavo in the goal.

Thomas will have some talented veterans in the back to patrol things in front of Frieder. “We will have Charlotte Lescroat, Allison Sorrentino, and Erin Cook back there,” said Thomas.

The Panthers were down in Florida last week on their annual preseason trip, which Thomas views as a critical step in getting her veterans and newcomers on the same page.

“We want to play a lot; there is a big difference between the junior game and the varsity game,” asserted Thomas. “We want to get these kids a lot of work down there. You can do the work on the wall and have great skills but there is no substitute for playing the game.”

Thomas believes her team will be playing the game at a high level by the time the postseason rolls around. “When you mix experience and talented athletes, the sky is the limit,” said Thomas.

“It’s not where you start it’s where you finish. I really enjoy working with these kids, they are like sponges. Experience comes everyday, you should tuck away something everyday.”

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