Westfield’s girls tennis season has come to an end, and with it came an impressive run for the Blue Devils, including a North 2, Group 4 sectional championship.
Led by captains Annika Vesuna and Emmy Stoller, Westfield finished the season with a 15-4 record and sat atop the Union County Conference (Watchung Division) with an 8-1 record, besting division rivals Scotch Plains-Fanwood, Summit, Cranford and New Providence in all their contests. Westfield’s only loss in the division came against Kent Place. The Blue Devils finished second overall in the conference and were named the 9th best team in New Jersey by nj.com.
This season marks the eighth consecutive year the team has held a winning regular-season record, and it was their seventh out of the last eight seasons with 10-plus wins. The Blue Devils then continued their seasonal triumphs into the postseason.
Westfield moved swiftly through the postseason, dominating both Elizabeth and Bridgewater-Raritan in the opening rounds of the North 2, Group 4 sectional tournament. The Blue Devils then captured the sectional championship, defeating J.P. Stevens, 3-2.
“I was so hype about it. I’m so proud of my whole team, we were able to get yet another win,” said Stoller.
From there they carried on to the Group 4 semifinals, where they upset Bergen Tech, 3-2, to advance to the Group 4 championship. But in the championship, the Blue Devils fell short, 3-2, against Marlboro.
Individually, the Blue Devils performed well, holding their own in numerous matches against various opponents. Sophomore standout Savannah Cohen impressed in both the team and individual state tournaments and earned a place on nj.com’s All-State third team. The doubles team of Stoller and sophomore Natalie Debowski was named to nj.com’s Group 4 third team. Senior Madison Wright earned the team’s Most Valuable Senior Award from the Westfield Boosters Association.
“I think as a team our biggest accomplishment was our ability to take advantage of how short our season was. I felt really accomplished in being able to push through the mental pressures of tennis to play at a high level and stay focused,” said Wright.
Even though they did not reach their end goal of a state championship, it has been an accomplished season for the girls tennis team. They walked away with yet another sectional championship, their third in the last four years, and have once again made their mark on Westfield history.
“Being captain of the team has been one of my greatest honors,” said Vesuna. “I developed a voice and became a leader. It has been so wonderful leading such an amazing group of people. I will never forget what being on the team has taught me.”
