One point to go. One more point to make history. The Elizabeth crowd roared, trying to put pressure on Westfield and force them to make a mistake. On the other hand, the nervous Westfield crowd was hushed with the anticipation of what was to come next. The Minutemen served a high floater, handled easily by the Blue Devils. Westfield returned on the offensive, setting the ball high in the direction of senior Abby Pevzner. Pevzner jumped, aiming for the kill of a lifetime. And she got it. Game over.
Securing a North 2, Group 4 sectional championship once is like hitting the jackpot for high school athletes. But, taking home two in a row? Well, that’s practically unheard of, unless you happen to be a Blue Devil, of course. Westfield won their second consecutive North 2, Group 4 sectional championship in two sets taking down Elizabeth on Tuesday.
This was the Blue Devil’s fourth matchup against Elizabeth this season, defeating them in every single match prior. Throughout all four matchups, Elizabeth managed to take only one of nine sets from the Blue Devils. Though Westfield dominated the other three matches, beating a team four times in a row can be extremely difficult.
“We have played Elizabeth so many times before and anything could change after that but we did a great job pushing through and winning in two,” said senior Karolina Bonn.
The Blue Devils thrive when they score first, allowing them to generate momentum on their side of the court. In the first set, the girls took an early lead and left Elizabeth struggling to find their stride and control their emotions. Westfield showed an unwavering focus on the court, and despite small communication errors, they consistently managed to collect themselves and regain control. As the score gap widened with each successful play, Westfield’s momentum could not be stopped.
Although Westfield won both sets, they needed to power through some obstacles late in the match. Up 22-12 in the second set, it seemed like Westfield had the match in the bag. However, as any other town in Union County knows, Elizabeth does not give up. The Minutemen went on a six-point run, making the score 22-18 and putting a mound of pressure on the Blue Devils. Elizabeth students, who were bused to Westfield for the game, tried to break the sound barrier as Westfield’s lead shrunk, forcing them to make a few physical and mental mistakes. Fortunately for the Blue Devils, they were able to calm their nerves and take the next point off a terrible serve from Elizabeth, ending the Minutemen’s six-point run and bringing them closer to victory.
“I think we did a really good job tuning them out and making sure [Elizabeth] didn’t get into our heads. At least for me, I think it’s fun to play in an electric atmosphere and it definitely helped,” said co-captain Caitlin Cabrales, regarding Elizabeth’s fierce energy. The Blue Devils used this energy to power themselves to a 25-20 victory in the deciding set.
However difficult the end of the second set was, the beginning was the exact opposite. Westfield knew they could not let Elizabeth gain momentum after the break and they refused to give in, diving all over the court to keep rallies going and making key blocks to prevent Minutemen kills. At one point, the Blue Devils went on a 9-1 scoring streak, sucking the life out of Elizabeth and causing frustrations between themselves.
“We played really clean, served tough, passed well, and executed a good offense. I think we did a really great job,” said Cabrales.
Knowing this season could be head coach Beverly Torok’s last, the Blue Devils were playing for more than themselves. This win is extremely profound for the Westfield volleyball program and Torok’s legacy. “This win is very meaningful, it’s back-to-back sectional titles, and we’ve worked very hard to get here. We’ve had injuries and people have stepped up and filled roles,” said Torok. The Blue Devils embody a true team and have talent on the entire roster. Led by nine seniors this team has a very strong and capable lineup of players who are committed to continuing their season.
Westfield looks to continue their winning streak on Thursday in the Group 4 semifinal at 4pm hosted by the Blue Devils against undefeated Morristown.
