With the clock ticking down, junior Lauren Delaney skated through the Chatham defenders and found the back of the net to tie the game with under eight minutes left. Just 40 seconds later, the Westfield crowd erupted even louder as she scored again for the go-ahead goal.
Westfield would eventually go on to win their first state game in program history, defeating Chatham 6-4 and advancing them to the NJSIAA State Tournament quarterfinal round.
In their past appearances against Chatham, Westfield lost one matchup and won the other, both being high-scoring games. Knowing this, it was clear the game would be a close bout. “We knew what was at stake: an opportunity to get our first state playoff win,” said head coach Matt Gualtieri.
Despite numerous chances, and the Blue Devils maintaining majority possession, neither team’s offense could put the first point on the scoreboard and the first period ended 0-0.
Senior goalie Jolie Bruder faced a constant flow of shots throughout the game recording a total of 19 saves. This performance was key in the team’s lockdown-defensive effort. “She made some really awesome glove saves that clutched up in crucial times,” said junior Hannah Gold. “She knew, as well as the whole team, that this was a very important game to continue our season.”
Westfield outshot Chatham, yet the Cougars were able to expose a few holes in the Westfield defense, ending the second period with a 2-1 lead. Gualtieri said, “We tried to focus on the task at hand, not worry too much about the circumstances surrounding us. It was one shift at a time, one period at a time.”
The Blue Devils entered the third period hungry, knowing that these next 15 minutes would decide their season. The offensive push was powered by a dynamic performance from junior forward duo, Ella Delaney and Lauren Delaney. “Everyone was super positive on the bench, lifting each other up. It felt really good to win,” said Ella Delaney after scoring a hat trick in the third period.
The Blue Devils look to continue their historic run against Trinity Hall at 5:45 p.m. on Feb. 28 at the Jersey Shore Arena. Spirits are high going into the next round. “We haven’t beat Trinity Hall yet, but that will change when we play them. We feel really good about it,” said Ella Delaney.
