FANCY FOOTWORK: Princeton High girls’ soccer player Mathilde Pouliot controls the ball in recent action. Senior midfielder/defender Pouliot has sparked the Tigers this fall with her ball skills. PHS, which lost 1-0 in overtime to Lawrence last Thursday as it moved to 3-4, hosts Hightstown on October 1 and North Hunterdon on October 3 before playing at Robbinsville on October 6. (Photo by Frank Jacobs III)
By Bill Alden
After starting the 2026 season with two wins, the Princeton High girls’ soccer team hit a rough patch as it lost three of its next four games.
Hosting Lawrence High last Thursday, PHS utilized its possession game to carry play as it looked to get back on the right track.
“I was happy with the way we were combining and moving forward,” said Tiger head coach Christine Giacino. “That is what we have been working on a lot in practice.”
But despite generating some good scoring chances as it put the pressure on Lawrence, PHS couldn’t find the back of the net as the foes played to a 0-0 stalemate through regulation.
Heading into overtime, the Tigers were looking to keep pressing forward.
“It was keep the momentum up, keep the energy up because I think we were combining well,” said Giacino. “We were using the space wide and getting crosses in.”
But going against the run of play, it was Lawrence who came up with the winning tally, scoring with 4:00 left in the first overtime to prevail 1-0.
“I am happy with the way we played but I am not happy with the result,” said Giacino, whose team moved to 3-4 with the defeat. “When a team can just take a couple of shots and get one in, it is tough. It just comes down to finishing our chances and that is what we have struggled with the last couple of years. I feel like that is something that we are continuing to work on, being able to finish games like this where we do have more of the ball.”
Giacino is happy with the play she has been getting from senior midfielder/defender Mathilde Pouliot, senior midfielder/forward Taylor Hamerschlag, and sophomore forward Lavinia Lord.
“Mathilde is always solid for us. She is always able to get up the field, which is what we need from her,” said Giacino. “I think our combinations up front were good. Taylor is always a strong, physical person for us. Lavinia had some chances going forward.”
The Tigers have been shuffling things around on defense as some key players have been sidelined. “We have been switching a lot of people, we have a lot of injuries,” said Giacino. “We are kind of mixing people in. We have a freshman, Sophia Herman, who has never played varsity who started today. She stepped up for us. It is just a matter of getting everybody healthy to make sure that we can get our best people out there.”
With PHS hosting Hightstown on October 1 and North Hunterdon on October 3 and then playing at Robbinsville on October 6, Giacino is confident that the Tigers will put their best foot forward.
“Overall compared to the last couple of games we have had, we played our most solid game so that is something to build off of,” said Giacino. “I think getting an early goal would be huge. If we scored in the first half and just had the momentum more, then we would play a different game in the second half. I feel like it is just getting early goals and just being able to get that last finishing touch.”