(Photo by Bill Allen/NJ SportAction) caption: FREED UP: Princeton Day School girls’ soccer sophomore standout Ali Frieder fights for a ball in a game earlier this season. Frieder has provided solid play in the middle of the field to help PDS get off to a 7-4 start. In upcoming action, the Panthers will play at Blair Academy on October 15 and host Hightstown on October 17 before playing at Nottingham on October 18 and at Rutgers Prep on October 20.

PDS Girls’ Soccer Falters in Peddie Loss but Is Optimistic as Postseason Looms

Bill Alden

Having won three straight games coming into its clash at the Peddie School last week, the Princeton Day School girls’ soccer team seemed poised to keep up its hot streak.

PDS was tied 1-1 with the Falcons heading into the waning stages of the first half. But making some uncharacteristic miscues, the Panthers surrendered two goals and found themselves trailing 3-1 by intermission.

In the final 40 minutes, PDS did score a goal but it wasn’t nearly enough as Peddie cruised to a 5-2 triumph.

PDS head coach Pat Trombetta believes his young team will learn some valuable lessons from the setback.

“We had some bad breaks and some missed communications,” said Trombetta, who got goals from Janie Smukler and Katie Gibson in the loss as his team moved to 7-4 on the season.

“You can’t make mistakes like that against a good team. The girls kept fighting to the end.”

With several of his players fighting back from injuries, Trombetta is optimistic about his team’s prospects.

“I think it has helped us that some of our injuries are clearing up,” said Trombetta.

“Erin [Cook] is back on the field after suffering a concussion. She is really important to us, she can see the whole field and she makes a lot of the calls for us. Courtland [Lackey] had a quad injury and it is starting to get better. Katie Gibson is starting to come back, she was out all last season with a knee injury.”

The Panthers are getting better scoring balance as the season goes on. “The first thing that has helped us is Janie, she has been really good for us,” said Trombetta of Smukler who has a team-high eight goals.

“She and Cammie Linville work so well together. We have had 10 girls score goals. The other teams can’t just isolate on one player.”

Sophomore goalie Jess Frieder has been spearheading the PDS defense. “Jess has five shutouts this year,” said Trombetta. “The defense has played well with the exception of the Peddie game.”

As PDS looks ahead to the state prep and county tourneys, Trombetta is confident that his team can play well in those competitions.

“We want to play the tougher teams to get ready for the tournaments,” said Trombetta, whose team plays at Blair Academy on October 15 and hosts Hightstown on October 17 before playing at Nottingham on October 18 and at Rutgers Prep on October 20.

“We have had stretches where we dominate and other games where we have stepped back. We have to be more consistent. I think we can make a run in these tournaments if we play together.”

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