STICKING WITH IT: Princeton High girls’ lacrosse player Nicki Lee looks to unload the ball in recent action. Last Wednesday, senior attacker Lee scored a game-high four goals to help PHS defeat Hopewell Valley 15-11 as the Tigers overcame deficits of 5-3 and 11-10 to pull out the win. The Tigers, who defeated Robbinsville 18-6 last Saturday to improve to 5-0, host Allentown on April 17 and Princeton Day School on April 20. (Photo by Frank Jacobs III)

By Bill Alden

Nicki Lee is content to be part of the supporting cast for the Princeton High girls’ lacrosse team.

“I just want to be a playmaker, I want to be a contributor to the game,” said PHS senior attacker Lee. “I am not looking to be the No. 1 stat chaser or anything.”

But as the Tigers played at Hopewell Valley last Wednesday in an early season Colonial Valley Conference (CVC) showdown, Lee piled up some impressive stats, scoring a game-high four goals and scooping up three ground balls to help PHS prevail 15-11 and move to 4-0.

Lee got the Tigers off to a good start as she scored the first goal of the contest.

“It felt good, I might have been the one to finish it but it was a team effort,” said Lee. “Our team chemistry is getting better and better every game.”

After HoVal responded with three unanswered goals and took a 5-3 lead early in the second quarter, PHS caught fire as it ended the second quarter with a 6-0 run.

“We got a little angry,” said Lee, who scored two goals in the PHS surge. “We got a lot of the draws. We got fire under our feet. We passed it around. We looked for the best option instead of taking it ourselves.”

Getting outscored 6-1 in the first 15 minutes of the second half to find itself trailing 11-10 early in the fourth quarter, the Tigers reeled off five straight goals to pull away to the win.

“We are trying to stay more consistent, we have an on and off problem but we are definitely getting better,” said Lee. “We put it all out there on the field. We used the last bit of our strength to get it done. I am proud of us.”

Lee scored a key goal in that stretch, giving the Tigers a 13-11 lead.

“I can’t take all of the credit, there were a lot of assisters,” said Lee, reflecting on the tally. “I didn’t really drive, I was the one cutting.”

Playing with fellow seniors Quinn Gallagher and Leah Bornstein has helped Lee excel around goal.

“I love them, I have been playing club with them for a long time,” said Lee who competes for the Ultimate Lacrosse program outside of school. “We have a lot of good chemistry because I have been playing with them for like 10 years.”

In reflecting on the Tigers’ hot start, Lee points to the squad’s chemistry.

“We are just really encouraging, there is never any drama,” said Lee. “Nobody is yelling at each other, everyone is always encouraging each other. I think positive feedback is what helps us get better.”

The arrival of new head coach Kait Birnbohm-Kaminski has been a positive for PHS.

“We love our new coach, she is wonderful,” said Lee. “She played D-I lacrosse (at Bryant University) so she really knows that she is doing. She has really helped us with our defense and locking everyone up. I think defense really wins the game.”

PHS coach Birnbohm-Kaminski, for her part, liked the way her team stepped up in its second quarter run against HoVal.

“Defensively we came up with a lot of stops,” said Birnbohm-Kaminski. “We got the ball on the draw. We connected in the midfield and when we had it on attack we took our time and looked for the best shot.”

Trailing in the fourth quarter, PHS connected when it counted.

“We were prepared for them to go on another run,” said Birnbohm-Kaminski. “For us, what was really beneficial was taking care of the ball and then coming up with some defensive stops.”

Birnbohm-Kaminski credited Lee with helping the Tigers control the ball.

“Today she was a really centering force for us back there,” said Birnbohm-Kaminski. “She got a lot of the loose balls that were there from shoots. She settled us, that was really critical.”

As usual, senior standouts Gallagher and Bornstein were a force as Gallagher tallied two goals and six assists in the win with Bornstein chipping in three goals with five ground balls and seven draw controls.

“Quinn is just a great vocal leader and she knows her teammates’ strengths out there so she looks for them naturally,” said Birnbohm-Kaminski. “Leah was face-guarded so it was hard to get her the ball. She is such a determined player. It is relentless hustle. She was working hard even when she didn’t have the ball.”

A pair of juniors, Clare Barlag and Emerson Barker, showed their determination against the Bulldogs. Barlag tallied three goals and two assists while Barker contributed three goals.

“Clare brings an intensity, she is very intentional about her shot placement,” said Birnbohm-Kaminski. “Emerson did great on the draw too. She was placing those draws. She did a really good job for us offensively. She provided a really steady point for us to pivot the ball through and drive.”

With starting goalie Paige Menapace currently sidelined by injury, freshman Juliana Funiciello has stepped up to give the Tigers some steady play in net.

“Juliana plays goalie in ice hockey and field hockey,” said Birnbohm-Kaminski of Funiciello who had five saves against HoVal. “In the first scrimmage of the season she said if anything ever happens I could do it and it became a reality. She is such an athlete. She has shown a lot of growth. It is a tremendous sacrifice. She put the team first and she is coming up really big for us.”

Birnbohm-Kaminski likes the resilience her squad has displayed as it has piled up wins in the early going this spring.

“I am happy to see how they get the job done because all of our games have been so different in terms of runs,” said Birnbohm-Kaminski, whose team defeated Robbinsville 18-6 last Saturday to improve to 5-0 and hosts Allentown on April 17 and Princeton Day School on April 20. “But at the last whistle, we have come out on top. That has been great. They are getting in synch but they have a lot to learn and work on too at the same time.”

In Lee’s view, the Tigers should keep improving. “We are just going to keep getting our team chemistry up,” said Lee. “Everyone’s skills are enhancing, everyone is getting better.”