Emotions ran high as the game stretched on as long as it could. It was a match point for the Old Bridge Knights, their royal purple colors visible across the bleachers as the noise reached a peak. The two teams battled back and forth, with Westfield backed against the wall; a storybook ending was on the line for the Blue Devils after an entire season of working toward this moment. Despite a desperate effort by the defenders at the net, Old Bridge set a perfect ball for an unreturnable kill, winning the match 3-2 and the state title for the Knights.
After Westfield’s commanding victory over Livingston just two days earlier, the Blue Devils arrived ready for battle. Opposing them was Old Bridge, which had recently secured a strong win against the reigning state champions, Williamstown. Both teams entered the title match with star-studded lineups, including promising college prospects.
Parents and fans packed the stands as the North 2 Group 4 State Championship unfolded. The game began with long rallies, with neither team gaining a significant lead. Everyone in the arena quickly realized this game would be remembered as a classic. Head coach Beverly Torok alluded to this, saying, “Every point felt like it was do or die.”
That description by Torok is no exaggeration; the first set lasted until Old Bridge secured it 33-31. The exhaustion of Westfield after losing the first set, despite their effort, raises questions about what might have been different if the Blue Devils had taken the first set. Both teams had opportunities to close out the set, but neither was willing to relinquish the lead. Westfield had opportunities to win the first set when the score was 29-28, but uncharacteristic missed serves didn’t help the Blue Devils. Serving was an obvious factor working against Westfield, as any momentum gained through a block at the net or a successful kill after an errant serve often followed a tiring rally.
Despite losing the first set 33-31, the Blue Devils knew the rest of the match wouldn’t be decided by that set alone. They went on to win the second set convincingly. Senior Ava Gaspard contributed to the team’s success by scoring kill after kill to help get the Blue Devils back on track. Gaspard has been one of the brightest spots on this championship-caliber team and reinforced that reputation just days earlier by breaking the WHS school record for most kills. Worth mentioning on the other side of the court, however, was standout player Ashley Markle. Markle, a junior, is committed to Florida State University for Beach Volleyball. Old Bridge funneled most of its offensive hits through Markle, which was key to the Knights’ ultimate success.
Old Bridge won the third set 25-17, followed by the Blue Devils taking the fourth set 25-17, setting up a dramatic fifth set played to 15. The Knights had a streak of kills that built a comfortable lead, which seemed to crush the Blue Devils’ morale, prompting a Westfield timeout to try to regroup. Unfortunately for Westfield, they wouldn’t be able to put together one last push, and Old Bridge would run away in the fifth and final set to win the championship 15-6.
The loss was a heartbreaking one to take, but Westfield took it with their heads held high. Senior co-captain Audrey Stack is extremely proud of the effort the Blue Devils displayed. “Last time we played them, we lost in 2 sets, and it didn’t reflect who we are as a team. I feel like we truly gave it our all this time and left everything out on the court.”
