Westfield needed to regain their confidence after a rough double overtime draw against Princeton on Saturday. The Blue Devils did just that against Arthur L. Johnson in a 2-0 win on Monday.
As Westfield led 1-0 late in the first half a handball was called on Westfield just outside the box resulting in a controversial freekick for ALJ. However, the powerhouse that is the Blue Devils, specifically junior goalie Simon Gunzberg, stopped the scoring opportunity and went into the second half with the lead.
This was the first time in history that Westfield has played ALJ, making it a highly anticipated local matchup. Senior co-captain Niko Pierce said, “This game was so important for our program and for our team. We’re trying to build a streak of winning and just keep the team motivated to win and score and I think this will help motivate us going into the rest of the season.” With this game, the Blue Devils are now 7-1-2 on the season and have yet to lose when playing away.
The Blue Devils were on point with their headers, scoring both goals in that fashion. The first goal was off a cross from senior Danny Gonzalez who perfectly placed it for Pierce in front of the net. The second goal was from junior forward Sam Judka, his first shot was deflected by the goalie, however, he was able to finish the rebound by heading it over the goalie to take the lead 2-0.
The Blue Devils maintained an extremely strong and contained offense throughout the entirety of the game. Judka, along with senior midfielders Henry Iannuzi, Danny Gonzalez, and Dan DeSousa were all integral parts of their ball control. Senior Jake Pardes said, “Offensively, we communicated well and we made sure that we were in the right positions to prevent counter-attacks and through balls.”
Coach Eric Shaw said, “We were great about being patient in the back third when we had the ball just trying to move things and create opportunities.” Being creative in the front of the field was important to the team however, the precise defensive tactics also played a role in the Blue Devils win. The power of the Blue Devils defense has been made quite clear throughout the season as “there is definitely a priority here to keep a clean sheet,” said Pardes.
The Blue Devils look to continue this winning streak on Saturday away vs. East Brunswick at 6 p.m. In preparation for this game, Shaw said, “I think that the biggest thing to get ready for this game is to give some boys a rest and let them reset.”
