After losing the first set and many long rallies in the second, Westfield gained a two-point lead, hoping to advance to the third set. Despite the tense second set, Old Bridge was able to take back the lead, pull away and win the game 2-0.
Head coach Beverly Torok said the team focused on improving serve receive and consistency after the first set. “They got a big run in the first set with their serves,” Torok said. “We struggled a little with concentrating on how to get them up and made it much better to play a second set. We also served a little better in the second set as well.”
Torok credited the performances of several players, including senior co-captain setter Emelia Dengler and junior setter Abby Wilson, for putting up some good balls for their hitters. She also acknowledged the many blocks that were accomplished by junior Lillian Wood, senior co-captain Audrey Stack, junior Anneliese Bonn and junior Sophia Simeone.
Senior Vicki Morey said the team’s mindset shifted after the first set. “The first set started a little slower, so what we were focusing on in the second set was to just come out of the gate swinging, come out stronger with more energy, communicate louder and more often.”
Miscommunication on the Westfield side seemed to be a prominent factor in how Old Bridge capitalized on their points. Morey says they discussed it after the first set and aimed to stop hesitating to go after the ball. Senior Ava Gaspard said, “Torok says to have the mind of a goldfish: go into the next play and forget about your mistake,” and that’s what they did.
It seemed that after some unsuccessful attempts, they managed to have continuous runs of kills and strong rallies, prominently executed by Gaspard. “We realized some of their plays and tendencies of how they plan, and we went off that move first,” Gaspard said. She strived to stay positive throughout the game, keeping the energy up and infecting the rest of the team.
The team’s record is now 16-4. They will face Princeton at home on Oct. 16 at 4:30. Torok said, “[Princeton is] more one-sided than [Old Bridge], who used a little bit of a variety. [Princeton] uses their outside mostly, so we’re going to try and force them to have to hit to certain areas.”
