(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski) SMALL WONDER: Princeton Day School field hockey star Emma Quigley displays her stick handling skills in recent action. The diminutive sophomore forward Quigley has emerged as a big weapon on the PDS attack. After a slow start, the Panthers have won three straight, outscoring their foes 11-0 in that stretch with Quigley chipping in four goals. PDS, now 4-4-1, plays at Lawrenceville on October 5 before hosting Germantown Academy on October 6.

Diminutive Quigley Coming Up Big on Attack As PDS Field Hockey Displays Finishing Touch

Bill Alden

Standing a shade over 5’0 and weighing 100 pounds soaking wet, Emma Quigley looks like she would get run over in the traffic jams around the goal that are a staple of field hockey.

But the dogged sophomore forward for Princeton Day School believes her diminutive size actually gives her an advantage in the battles in the crease.

“I love finishing goals and getting that last tip in,” said Quigley. “If I was a lot bigger I don’t think I would be able to play like that.”

Last week against Blair, Quigley displayed her aggressiveness and ability to dart through defenses as she scored two goals in the first 17 minutes of the contest to spark PDS to a 4-0 victory.

The modest Quigley, though, didn’t want to take the credit for her scoring prowess.

“I don’t want to take the credit for that stuff,” said Quigley, who was joined on the score sheet by Mary Travers and Corrine Urisko as they both tallied second half goals.

“We were definitely playing the kind of hockey that we like to play. Our passes were awesome. We were really fighting for the ball which gave us possession.”

In Quigley’s view, PDS’s 4-0 win over Solebury School (Pa.) gave the Panthers a jolt of confidence coming into the Blair contest.

“We were on a losing streak for the last couple of games and I think the game yesterday picked up our spirits,” said Quigley. “I think we were really excited to get back on the field after yesterday. We worked a lot better as a team.”

Quigley has put in a lot of work since last year in order to become a more valuable member of the PDS team.

“I did some private lessons and I got out on the field a couple of times a week,” said Quigley.

“I worked on ball dribbling and all that stuff. I worked on my stick skills. I think I have improved a lot since last year.”

PDS head coach MC Heller attributed her team’s recent improvement to adopting a more structured offense.

“We have put more restrictions on where people can go on the field,” said Heller, whose team kept rolling last Monday as it topped Lawrence High 3-0 to win its third game in a row and improve to 4-4-1.

In Heller’s view, the win over Solebury was a turning point. “That was really good for us because we learned a lot about ourselves,” added Heller.

“We were able to slow it down and really see where our faults were and where we should have been.”

Heller liked what she saw on attack from Quigley along with senior Jenna Fritz and sophomore Mary Travers.

“Emma did a much better job today as far as cleaning up in the circle,” said Heller, whose team plays at Lawrenceville on October 5 before hosting Germantown Academy on October 6.

“I thought Jenna Fritz was a difference-maker for us. She and Mary [Travers] were key to our attack and luckily we had Mary healthy for a whole game.”

The Panther defense got a healthy effort from Urisko together with sophomore Cami McNeely and junior Zeeza Cole.

“That was a good goal on Corrine’s part; she has come a long way from last year,” asserted Heller.

“She and Cami McNeely have really stepped it up, challenging their comfort zone and being successful with that. They are more confident in their passes and their individual skills. I am happy with the two of them and with Zeeza Cole, who is stepping into a new position.”

Heller also likes the way her team has stepped up after starting the season 1-4-1.

“I am really glad that we have been through some bumps in the road because we have been able to smooth them out,” said Heller, whose team went four games without scoring a goal in one stretch.

“I like how the team is talking now and how the players are taking to each other. They are constructive; everyone has the same goal. They are becoming more team-oriented. They know if they are withholding a critique then they are not being team players. There is definitely stuff to work on and I think it is exciting because we are not complacent at all.”

Quigley, for her part, is excited about the rest of the fall. “We talked a while before those two games and we made goals and we actually completed those goals,” said Quigley. “I think we can get on a winning streak if we set our minds to it.”

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