15 seconds left. Tie game. Cranford has possession. Silence hangs over the gymnasium and the crowd is on the edge of the seats. Pass. Pass. Cranford is able to keep the ball away from Westfield, but not long enough for a shot. Another pass. Another pass. Cranford shoots from behind the 3-point-line, the fans even more silent than before. Swish. Cranford scores with six seconds left, securing their 52-49 win over Westfield.
The game started fairly evenly. Westfield would score, then Cranford would score. This cycle repeated throughout the first half. Cranford trailed Westfield throughout the game, never more than a six-point difference at any time. Though comfortable in their slight lead, Westfield never seemed to let go of their eagerness for the ball.
As time went on, Cranford became more aggressive on both sides as foul after foul occurred, and the score tightened. Though only making small differences at a time, Westfield’s fouls against Cranford ultimately gave the Cougars’ stellar free throw shooters their time to shine. Foul shot after foul shot, Cranford sunk their shots, ending the third quarter ahead by two, their first time leading in the game thus far.
Freshman Mairin Fowler said, “There were definitely people on our team who were in foul trouble. There were a lot of missed calls, or on the other side of the floor they would call for them and not for us, and it was a little frustrating.”
This pattern did not end as the fourth quarter started. After two more fouls from Westfield and four made shots from Cranford, Cranford was up by eight with only four minutes left in the game. As the time winded down, Westfield fans started to lose hope, but the players did not. With the Blue Devils putting up shot after shot, it brought them to only a two point deficit with 2:13 remaining. Continuing with the pattern, Westfield fouled again, and Cranford made a shot. Despite the pressure, sophomore Sophie Lane powered through, tying up the score with only 15 seconds left in the game.
But ultimately, the three-point shot from Cranford with six seconds left, led to another loss for Westfield.
The tough loss does not undermine the amount of work the Blue Devils put into Wednesday’s game. “I’m so proud of them,” said head coach Liz Mckeon. “Cranford went out to an eight-point lead and we could have bagged it, but we didn’t. We battled back and we had an opportunity.”
Compared to the team’s last game against Cranford on Dec. 14, Westfield had a significantly better performance. “Last time we lost to them by 15, and this time we lost by three,” said senior Sara Rooney. “I think we’re playing a lot better as a team, and next time we’ve got to be ready.”
On Saturday, the Blue Devils will face Highland Park away. The team has never played the Owls before and according to Rooney the team has to “be ready for the unknown and just come gunning out for everybody. It’s gonna be our revenge tour right now.”
