Westfield began its season faltering closely behind Summit with a 3-2 loss for their home opener. But, just seven weeks later, the Blue Devils wrapped the season with a commanding 4-1 win over Governor Livingston.
The strong finish had Westfield ending with a 13-7 record, complemented by multiple accolades. After losing their three-year winning streak in 2023 in the North 2, Group 4 Sectional Tournament, No. 2 seeded Westfield restored their dominance in the section defeating No. 1 seed Bridgewater-Raritan (3-2). Unfortunately, the Blue Devils were eliminated from the Group 4 tournament by Bergen Tech (2-3); however, three more wins followed during the postseason against Scotch Plains-Fanwood (5-0), Kent Place (3-2) and the aforementioned GL.
The team was led by two outstanding tennis players, senior co-captains Natalie Debowski and Bianca Vesuna. Debowski and Vesuna have only reached the half-way mark of their tennis careers as both are committed to play for the Division III programs at Rochester and Bryn Mawr, respectively.
Although tennis is an individual sport, Debowski focused on fostering a supportive atmosphere. “Making the team environment fun; as a player being connected to the team was the biggest part of this… and having fun on and off the court especially,” said Debowski.
In a similar fashion, head coach Samantha Nichols Jordan noted that their “biggest goal was to build a cohesive team environment where every player felt like an important part of the team, regardless of their position.”
Team morale was important with the tough schedule the Blue Devils faced this season. After the match against Summit, Westfield used that loss to fuel two wins over New Providence (3-2) and Oak Knoll (4-1).
Even with a winning record, the Blue Devils were unable to keep a winning streak for more than two games for the remainder of September, capping off their regular season with a loss against Bridgewater-Raritan (2-3).
Then, the sectional tournament began and the pattern of win-loss-win changed. Vesuna said, “Everyone had so much heart and we were able to come together as the matches got more difficult as we went on and got to sectionals.”
The Blue Devils rolled through Kearny and Columbia in the first and second rounds of sectionals to face Bridgewater-Raritan once again for the sectional title. “As a team, our biggest accomplishment was winning sectionals. That was big for us. We didn’t win last year but this year that means the team has improved and had a great season,” said third singles player Anna Luchsinger.
Just like the teams’ first meeting, Luchsinger and the second doubles team of Debowski and senior Julissa Mijaleski beat their Bridgewater counterparts in this match. The difference this time was on the first doubles court.
Senior Alexa Bloch and freshman Cadie Stanek faced Bridgewater’s senior Riya Senjalia and sophomore Vivian Chao, who they lost to in their regular season matchup in a tiebreaker set, 8-10. In the sectional final, Bloch and Stanek came out strong to win in two straight sets, 6-4 and 6-0.
In regards to the sectional title, Vesuna said, “The grit the team was able to have was so impressive, and everyone came out and did their best. All the matches were super close, but it was a great experience and I’m so happy and proud of this team.”
Westfield’s 2024 season made their mark in the record books and the seniors expect nothing less from their underclassmen in the coming years. Luchsinger said, “We have a great staff here and a great program. Westfield has always been strong at tennis… and I’m optimistic about the future of the program.”
Following the example of the class of 2025, Jordan said, “The supportive and uplifting environment the girls created is something I want to continue. Despite the challenges of having a large team and limited spots, they stayed positive and rooted for each other every step of the way… I want to build on that next year because it’s what makes this team more than just a group of players—it makes them a family.”
