Princeton players celebrate with senior Gabriella Trejo (12) after she scored a goal during a 2-1 loss against McKinney North on Tuesday, Jan. 6. Photo by Jerry Winfrey / C&S Media
By David Wolman
The Princeton girls soccer team has set the goal of playing with less stress this season.
It’s a mindset that has quickly paid off.
After not winning a match all of last season, the Lady Panthers needed just four matches to break into the win column this year.
Behind a hat trick from freshman Vicky King, Princeton earned a 3-1 win over Community last Friday in Denison to notch its first victory in nearly two years.
“The morale boost was amazing, not only for the players but also the coaching staff,” head coach Ryan Gerfers said. “The girls’ determination to never quit and keep pushing for that first win was amazing to watch against Community. It was the last game of a long tournament, and they dug deep to pull it out.”
King’s hat trick in that one match was triple Princeton’s entire goal total from last season, when the Lady Panthers were limited to one tally.
The Lady Panthers (1-3) have scored at least one goal in every match this season.
Senior Gabriella Trejo scored Princeton’s lone goal in the season opener Jan. 6 at McKinney ISD Stadium, a 2-1 loss to McKinney North.
Trejo’s goal in the 18th minute came on a free kick, sailing over a wall of players and into the top corner of the goal to tie the score at 1-1.
The match remained tied until McKinney North scored the go-ahead goal with nine minutes remaining.
Princeton’s next three matches came at a tournament in Denison. The Lady Panthers opened with a 2-1 loss to Frisco Independence, fell 4-1 to Lebanon Trail, then dug deep to defeat Community in the final game of the two-day event.
The Princeton boys soccer team traveled to Celina last week for a tournament. The Panthers lost 2-1 to Frisco Liberty to open play last Thursday, played to a 2-2 tie against McKinney North on Friday and finished the event with a 1-0 victory over Sulphur Springs on Saturday.
Against Liberty, junior Danny Rivera scored with 11:02 left in the first half to level the match at 1-1. Princeton nearly took the lead with 14 minutes remaining in the second half, when Ryan Garcia delivered a perfect service into the box for Aldo Longoria. However, Longoria’s close-range header was saved by the Redhawks goalkeeper. Three minutes later, Liberty scored the eventual game-winner.
Freshman Brayan Ordonez scored both goals for Princeton against McKinney North.
Senior Jacob Betancourt netted the only goal in Princeton’s win over Sulphur Springs.
“Proud of the way we competed the entire weekend in Celina,” head coach Kent Ackmann said. “Each match presented different types of challenges for us. Against an undefeated Liberty side, we controlled the match with 62 percent possession and held them to just two shots in the first half. Unlucky not to get the result. On the other hand, against North, it was a very emotional, intense match, one that required a lot of grit and mental toughness. Proud of the resilient fight our group had in that match.
“Against Sulphur Springs, what started out as a match that we were in complete control of, ended up being a match that we had to manage and battle through to get a result in the end. Even against a stiff wind in the first half, we held possession for 70 percent and were in complete control. However, in the second half we had to manage the match playing a man down. It wasn’t clean or pretty, but to be able to hold a team scoreless for almost an entire half with only 10 men is pretty remarkable.”
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