September 9, 2015

Leaning Heavily on Battle-Tested Junior Class, PDS Girls’ Soccer Primed to Defend Prep B Title

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MADISON AVENUE: Princeton Day School girls’ soccer star Madison Coyne controls the ball in a game last year. Sophomore standout Coyne will be spearheading the PDS back line as the Panthers look to defend their state Prep B title. PDS was scheduled to kick off its 2015 season by playing at the George School (Pa.) on September 8 and hosting the Hun School on September 15. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

With only one senior on the roster this fall for the Princeton Day School girls’ team, it may appear that the squad lacks experience.

But with a group of seven juniors in Abby Atkeson, Hannah Bunce, Alexis Davis, Allison Klei, Emily Simons, Katie Simons, and Shayla Stevenson, who helped the program win the state Prep B title last fall and the Mercer County Tournament in 2013, the squad boasts plenty of battle-tested performers.

“We are going to be leaning on the junior class,” said PDS head coach Pat Trombetta, who guide the Panthers to a 12-4-3 record in 2014.

“They have only known winning, they have seen it all. The biggest goal is to defend the Prep B title. We are bringing in 10 new faces but we have a strong core.”

One of PDS’s strongest performers is sophomore goalie Grace Barbara, who started every game last fall and took charge of the back line from the start.

“She is a great communicator,” asserted Trombetta of Barbara. “She got a lot of experience in the offseason, playing in Costa Rica and Italy with an ODP (Olympic Development Program) Region 1 team. That overseas experience will be a big help.”

Trombetta believes that another sophomore standout, Madison Coyne, should also be a big help to the Panther defense.

“We moved Madison Coyne to center back in front of Grace; we have a hole on defense with Stef (Soltesz) and Erin (Hogan) graduating,” said Trombetta, who has his lone senior Izzy Meyercord playing alongside Coyne in the middle with Emily Simons on the left wing and a pair of freshmen, Charlotte Meyercord and Kelsey Lane on the right. “It is Madison’s natural position and she is very smooth; we have two great communicators on the back.”

At forward, PDS boasts two solid players in sophomore newcomer Damali Simon-Ponte and Klei.

“We have Damali Simon-Ponte, a transfer from South Brunswick, up top, she is going to help,” said Trombetta “We have her up there with Allison Klei, who is in good shape and is playing well.”

The midfield is in good shape with sophomores Ann Xu and Becca Kuzmicz along with freshman Madison McCaw and juniors Bunce and Atkeson.

“We have Ann and Becca in the middle,” said Trombetta. “Madison McCaw is a freshman who also plays hockey, she is going to do some good things. On the outside, we have Hannah attacking from the left. She is physical, fast, and has a great left foot. On the other wing, we have Abby, who was great for us last year.”

While PDS may take a while to find a rhythm, Trombetta believes it can produce another great finish.

“It is a matter of developing chemistry with our new players,” said Trombetta.

“It will be a team searching for its identity. I think there will be bumps early but we should get better and better as the season goes on.”