After fighting to keep the score close in the first half, sophomore Kate Cymbor dashed to the net and gained the lead for Westfield, which they would maintain for the rest of the game.
On Tuesday, the WHS girls lacrosse team defeated No. 2 in the state, Moorestown 9-6. The game was a back and forth battle throughout, until the Blue Devils were able to maintain their lead in the final quarter of the game.
Moorestown pulled away early on, gaining a three point lead within the first five minutes of the game, but the Blue Devils answered back promptly behind three consecutive goals from senior Maddy Smith, Cymbor and junior Skylar Abo to tie the game.
From the first whistle, both teams proved why they are ranked as two of the top teams in the state. Cymbor was a force to be reckoned with for Westfield behind her three goals and three assists, stepping up when it mattered most.
By halftime, the Blue Devils were tied with Moorestown 4-4 following a goal from sophomore Lorelei McGorty with less than 30 seconds left in the 2nd quarter.
As the Blue Devils prepare to head into the state tournament, head coach Katie DaSilva emphasized the importance of intense competition for their final game of the regular season. “Sometimes the first couple rounds don’t match the intensity of what comes next, so you go from easier games straight into a gauntlet,” DaSilva said. “We intentionally scheduled tougher competition this time, and this team is one of the best we’ve faced and I feel like raising the level of competition will prepare us well.”
Cymbor echoed this idea, stating “knowing that [Moorestown] was a top ranked team, is gonna give us a lot of motivation going into the state tournament playing such competitive teams.”
Not only were the Blue Devils able to catch up offensively and finish most of their shots, their defense also stepped up to prevent Moorestown from regaining any chance of a lead. Senior defensive player Emily Kennedy said, “At the beginning, we weren’t getting middle enough, but after we took a deep breath and we [regained] our composure on defense, knowing that the offense can help us if we get a turnover, we really improved our confidence, [and stayed] a tight knit group on defense side.”
Going into the fourth, the Blue Devils led 6-5 and with an early goal by senior Gilli Cohen, the girls extended their lead to 7-5. Moorestown quickly responded with a goal, but that would be their last one of the game, while Cymbor captured two more goals before the game’s end, leading the end score to 9-6.
Additionally, Cymbor achieved her 100th ground ball of her high school career during the game, she continues to be one of the most powerful players on the field and the Blue Devils will need to continue utilizing her talents going forward.
The Blue Devils are officially done with their regular game season as they will next play West Orange at home, 2:00 pm on Thursday in the first round of the NJSIAA Sectional Tournament.
