OPENING STATEMENT: Princeton High girls’ lacrosse player Leah Bornstein sprints upfield in a 2024 game. Last Wednesday, junior midfielder Bornstein tallied two goals and three assists to help PHS edge Hopewell Valley 11-9 in its season opener. The Tigers, who fell 12-9 at Montgomery last Saturday, host WW/P-South on April 9 before playing at Princeton Day School on April 11, at the Hun School on April 12, and at Shore on April 15. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Leah Bornstein starred at guard this winter for the Princeton High girls’ basketball team, scoring 184 points with 110 rebounds, 73 assists, and 81 steals to help the Tigers go 19-10.

But while Bornstein was busy on the hardcourt, she made time to keep her lacrosse skills sharp.

“Every Sunday in the winter, I would work on lacrosse to keep me ready for the season,” said junior Bornstein.

In Bornstein’s view, playing hoops helps her excel on the lacrosse field.

“Basketball and lacrosse are similar with the cutting, the picks, the footwork,” said Bornstein. “I love basketball. I like to use picks in lacrosse like I do in basketball or rolling like I do in basketball.

Last Wednesday as the PHS girls’ lacrosse team opened its 2025 season by defeating Hopewell Valley 11-9, Bornstein displayed her athleticism and versatility, tallying two goals and three assists with six ground balls and five draw controls.

Bornstein and her teammates were fired up to get their 2025 campaign underway.

“We had four scrimmages and the competition wasn’t as great so we were just excited to get some good competition,” said Bornstein. “Because of that I think it made us a little more frantic on the field, that is a big thing we noticed right away. I think throughout the game we started to play to our ability, more playing as the team and more confident.”

With the rivals knotted at 7-7 and 8-8 in the fourth quarter, Bornstein focused on her playmaking, picking up an assist on a key goal by Gracie DePrince that gave PHS a 10-8 lead as the Tigers seized momentum, down the stretch.

“They were face-guarding me in the fourth quarter — it made it a lot harder for me,” said Bornstein. “My teammates definitely stepped up, we have a lot of versatility on our team which is nice. I just saw Gracie wide open and I trust her to take the shot.”

Coming off a superb 2024 season that saw her tally 56 goals and 22 assists, Bornstein is shouldering more responsibility for the Tigers this spring.

“I have a lot bigger role this year, just because so many seniors from last year left and now we only have four seniors,” said Bornstein. “I am very grateful that I was chosen for captain this year so that is a big factor.”

PHS head coach Katie Federico is grateful to have Bornstein on her squad.

“Leah goes 100 percent — she is the energizer bunny,” said Federico. “She just doesn’t stop. I know that the girls feed off of that energy too which is really nice. She and Quinn [Gallagher] find that connection and it is seamless with the two of them.”

Junior Gallagher also starred in the opener, tallying two goals and one assist.

“Quinn had a great game,” said Federico. “We are using her more on low attack. She can see the field real well and see those cuts for the assists.”

In reflecting on the 3-1 run by PHS to end the game, Federico credited her players with being patient.

“I think for us, slowing it down,” said Federico. “One of our goals of the games to have a lot of assists. They were face-guarding Leah at the end of the game and we used that to our advantage. We used her to set cuts and picks that really worked for us. It was just getting into the groove with each other.”

Scoring balance was another key factor for the Tigers in the win over the Bulldogs as DePrince contributed one goal and three assists, junior Nicki Lee chipped in one goal and two assists with sophomore Claire Barlag and senior Aniya Zahid each scoring two goals and sophomore Emerson Barker adding one goal.

“We did have a lot of people score, there were some nice cuts that they even missed in,” said Federico. “It is nice that we are very versatile in that sense. Even the girls who were assisting, it varied. I know it is exciting for some of them, like Claire coming back after the injury. She got her goal. Emme [Barker] joined us this year for varsity and got a goal. Hopefully the nerves are a little worked out and we can move on from there.”

At the other end of the field, Federico got some very good work from junior defender Zoie Reynolds and sophomore defender Lila Casto along with junior goalie Olivia Deluca.

“When they talk, you can tell that the defense really jells with it,” said Federico of Reynolds and Casto. “They are seeing the cuts nicely, they are doing the switches nicely. They are very strong and they are positive. They are really helpful with the other girls who are learning more of the position now. Liv did nicely in goal, she had some really great saves. I was really proud of her.”

With the Tigers, who fell 12-9 at Montgomery last Saturday, hosting WW/P-South on April 9 before playing at Princeton Day School on April 11, at the Hun School on April 12, and at Shore on April 15, Federico is looking for her squad to be sharper.

“It was really good to get our first game under our belts, it was not the prettiest of wins,” said Federico. “I told the girls that they kept fighting to the end and that is what mattered the most. It is only one game. We didn’t give up, we kept working hard and finding solutions which I think that is a very big positive. I think it will help us as we get into games further down the season because there are some pretty tough ones coming up.”

Bornstein, for her part, believes that the Tigers can lift their game.

“It was definitely a confidence boost; this was an awakening as to how the season will go and what we need to work on and what we did well at,” said Bornstein. “There is lot we have to work on, but I am excited for this season.”