There’s always nerves, anticipation and intensity when state tournament time rolls around. When the two competitors are Lawrenceville and Peddie the temperature goes up a few degrees. It seems like it wouldn’t be a Prep A state tournament without the Big Red and the Falcons meeting in field hockey. Sixth-seeded Lawrenceville (8-6-1) advanced with a 2-0 win over third-seeded Hun, while second-seeded Peddie (10-5) had a quarterfinal round bye. The two meet in the semifinals on Wednesday at Peddie with face off scheduled for 3:30 p.m. The winner faces the victor between top-seeded Pingry (15-2) and fifth-seeded Kent Place (8-7-1) on Nov. 6th for the state championship. The Falcons, who faced Robbinsville on Tuesday, have been playing very well. “I think we’ve stepped up our game and realize we can’t play scared,’’ said Peddie coach Julie Sheldon. “We are trying to get our team to play to our potential every game, it’s a mindset that we’ve been working on. They know what winning feels like now and they just want to keep doing it. We have a big week ahead and we are very excited.’’ The Big Red has dominated the series, holding a 14-0-1 advantage with the tie coming in 2015. The last time Peddie won was the 2013 season when it  captured the Prep A title with a 1-0 win over Lawrenceville. The Big Red won the regular season match, 3-0, and comes into the game having won four of the last six with three shutouts. “Last time we played them we did an OK job,’’ said Lawrenceville coach Lisa Ewanchyna. “I think we could have been faster and more aggressive to the ball. We will look to dominate possession time and keep the ball out of their strength which is the middle of the field. (Peddie’s) Anna Treese is a solid player and a real threat so we will have to be aware of where she is playing.’’ It was Treese’s mother, Alli, who coached the Falcons to the 2013 state title win. Anna Treese has 24 goals and six assists. Peddie’s glad she is on its side. “Her explosiveness, speed and athleticism are her strengths,’’ said Sheldon. “She’s a very skilled player but those two things make her stand out even more. She has great game sense as well and you can’t teach that.’’ Junie Kim has four goals and Mikala Kuser has two goals and four assists for the Falcons and they have been working hard to change the outcome this time around against the Big Red. “We have a different gameplan,’’ said Sheldon. “But the one thing we cannot do is start the game flat. Lawrenceville scored in the first quarter and a half. After that, it was a 0-0 game. So we need to come out strong and if we can jump on them early, it’ll be a game changer for us.’’ What has been the game changer for the Big Red every year is the schedule. Ewanchyna schedules difficult teams early in the hopes of building her team with tough competition to prepare for these games. This season it started the year 2-4 and have gone 6-2-1 the rest of the way. “We always start with a tough schedule playing a lot of Philly area teams,’’ stated Ewanchyna. “We adjust, because we learn something about ourselves, even with a loss. Recognizing those things is a big difference.’’ One of the players who has been making a difference is Megan Widlar. The junior has seven goals in the last five games and is stepping up in several ways for Lawrenceville. “Megan Widlar has really taken a leadership role on the attack for us,’’ said Ewanchyna. “She has figured a lot of things out in her field vision and her stickwork has really improved this season which has changed her game overall.’’ Lily Chincarini has six goals and six assists and Lexie Koch has four goals and one assist. While the Big Red has been taking care of the little things that lead to success, Peddie has seen its defense rise to the occasion. “Our defense is doing great,’’ said Sheldon. “We talk about not letting down during the game. Even if we are up five goals. Earning two shutouts prove to us that we can play a full 60 minutes and not let down.’’