Late in the fourth quarter, the ball deflected off of an attacker, the goalie, and finally found the back of the cage. Junior Emma Schwarzenbek demanded that goal after freshman Ashley McGeough slammed the assist to her. The goal brought Westfield up to a 4-1 lead and secured the win for the Blue Devils.
After losing the past two years against Milburn, the Blue Devils were ready to take this game on again. Head coach Corinne Varhley said, “It meant a lot because the last two years we had the lead and we lost the lead. So, this was a very important redemption game for us.”
The fight to get revenge against Milburn sparked a sense of intensity in the Blue Devils as both their offensive and defensive lines played lights out. The offense was able to hold their ground and sustain possession most of the game leading to many scoring opportunities.
Junior Riley Carr helped dominate the middle of the field as she transitioned the ball to the offensive side throughout the game. Varhley said, “Our give-and-go passes were spot on today, so I told them to anticipate that [the passes] were coming. With Carr in the middle, she really likes that quick give-and-go from coming inside to the outside.”
On the other end of the field, the defense showed their strength with a shut out until the last quarter. Defender Chloe Martin said, “I keep our defense strong by encouraging them… keeping their heads in the game, and keep moving forward.” Martin had an amazing defensive play at the end of the fourth quarter that blocked Milburn’s shot attempt and prevented a goal. From this play, Varhley awarded Martin with “Player of the Game.”
Despite this powerful energy in the second half, the Blue Devils were only leading by one at the half. Senior co-captain Becca Silverman said, “During the half I took part in putting out positive energy as usual. I made sure that everyone kept their head in the game, capitalized on the things we did well and focused on scoring more.”
Westfield will use the momentum from this victory as they face Scotch Plains on Friday at 4 p.m. at home. Varhley said, “For any Scotch Plains game, they always come in hot, and it’s always a great game and competition. I think just keeping an even keel and keeping level headed will go a long way.”
