IN FORM: Princeton High box hockey participant Erin Liggio controls the ball in a recreation previous this autumn. Last Friday, junior standout Liggio tallied two objectives and an help as PHS defeated Hightstown 8-1. The Tigers, who defeated Hopewell Valley 2-0 ultimate Monday to strengthen to 10-0, performs at Nottingham on October 7 and at Notre Dame on October 10. (Photo by way of Frank Wojciechowski)
By Bill Alden
Erin Liggio prides herself on bringing versatility to the Princeton High box hockey staff.
“Last year I was mainly at mid but this year, I stepped up and am playing at forward,” mentioned junior standout Liggio. “I like forward but I also love mid; I am interchangeable.”
Liggio stepped up ultimate Thursday, tallying two objectives and an help as PHS defeated Hamilton West 8-0.
Coming into the competition, Liggio and her teammates had been enthusiastic about coming into an offensive go with the flow.
“Going into game it was a later start, so we were really preparing on the upper field before the game,” mentioned Liggio. “We were focused on trying to get connected passes and really moving the ball well from the defense to the mid and to the forward and working on transfers through the backfield and up in the other side to the midfield.”
Liggio helped get issues shifting within the contest, scoring a objective with 5:31 left within the first quarter to position PHS up 2-0.
“I was standing in the right spot at the right time,” mentioned Liggio, recalling the tally. “I was just standing at stroke, stick down facing towards the ball and tipped it in.”
In the waning moments of the second one quarter, Liggio picked up an help as she arrange a objective by way of Hannah Christopher which gave the Tigers a 4-0 lead at halftime.
“I ran the baseline and then I looked up and saw Hannah for the goal and sent the ball off to her to tip into the goal,” mentioned Liggio.
PHS didn’t glance again from there, scoring 4 unanswered objectives in the second one part on how to the 8-0 triumph.
Liggio were given at the scoresheet yet one more time within the contest, changing a success from classmate Delaney Keegan right into a objective early within the 3rd quarter.
“Delaney ripped a shot and then I tipped it in goal,” mentioned Liggio. “I saw Del coming in. I know she has a strong hit, so I got there in front of the goalie’s pads, stick down and ready.”
The one-two punch of Keegan and Liggio has helped spark the PHS assault.
“I have played with her throughout middle school and club,” mentioned Liggio, who has a team-high 22 objectives and 3 assists whilst Keegan has tallied 10 objectives and a team-high 8 assists. “We are really familiar with each other on the field and off the field so that really helps with the strong connection. I can trust in her that she will get the ball down and I can work with her in the circle together passing the ball in and out.”
In reflecting on her robust begin to the 2022 season, Liggio believes it’s the product of a few onerous paintings over the past yr.
“I have made major progress; working in the offseason really helped with getting better this year,” mentioned Liggio. “It was mainly stickwork and defensive one v. ones; being able to receive the ball from a midfielder and dribbling into the circle, finishing it off and scoring the goal.”
PHS has proven growth jointly within the early levels of the season as it’s now 10-0 after a 2-0 win over Hopewell Valley ultimate Monday.
“I think with losing a lot of seniors last year, we were able to bond as a team off the field which is really helping us play there on the field,” mentioned Liggio. “We are really just all friends. That is really helpful, and we are connecting. Going into each game, we are just pretending like it is a clean slate, like we have 0-0 record. We are playing together as a team basically.”
PHS head trainer Heather Serverson appreciated the way in which her staff attached within the win over Hamilton West.
“We wanted to work on our offensive corners that we haven’t had a chance to work on,” mentioned Serverson. “Everybody got some playing time, everyone was able to contribute one way or another. That is always a positive.”
Liggio is surely making a favorable contribution this autumn for the Tigers.
“Erin is definitely more offensive; she is just a good student of the game,” mentioned Serverson. “She understands that offensive transition in a way that other players don’t, and it really pays off. They are starting to pick up on the way that she plays — it is rubbing off. The other players are now starting to play the way that she does in the circle, which is really feisty and awesome. I think she could play anywhere on the field, including goalie, if I needed her to.”
Juniors Leigh Rose-Seiden and Reva Doshi gave PHS some just right paintings within the circle towards the Hornets as Rose-Seiden scored a objective and Doshi chipped in a objective and an help.
“I moved Leah around a little bit today and she did a good job,” mentioned Serverson. “She is another versatile player who I can put in a lot of different positions. She figures things out and finds a way to make it work, which is what I need. Reva did a great job moving to the ball today. We did a lot of work on that since our last game. She is really starting to control the game in the middle a little bit more for us. She is small player and gets pushed around a lot, but she holds her ground.”
In assessing her squad’s undefeated get started, Serverson is happy with how PHS has been shifting the ball.
“The thing I am happiest about is the way they have come together as a team and the way that they know where the other players are on the field,” mentioned Serverson. “It is just smooth and effortless in a way. The passing is on point, and they know where the other player is going to be. It is nice to watch.”
With the Mercer County Tournament across the nook, Serverson is searching for her staff to get even sharper.
“I think we need to be challenged a little bit more than we have been so far,” mentioned Serverson, whose staff performs at Nottingham on October 7 and at Notre Dame on October 10. “We need to get a little bit cleaner in our offensive circle; we have been working a lot on it in practice.”
Liggio, for her section, believes PHS might be as much as the problem at the MCT.
“We are all looking forward to that and getting into that,” mentioned Liggio. “I think this year could potentially be our year. We need to continue being strong as a team and continue pushing through, even as it gets later in the season.”