From beginning to end, Westfield couldn’t find the back of the net on their numerous penalty corners despite their relentless effort. With another last-chance corner opportunity and the clock winding down, all that Glen Ridge had to do was clear the ball. It seemed like the game was all but sure to go to overtime; however, junior Riley Carr had other plans. With a rocket of a shot, Carr stepped in and sunk the game-winning shot for the Blue Devils to win 3-2 over the Ridgers.
This game, as exhilarating as it was, wasn’t just some game-winning buzzer-beater. Rather, this was revenge for a game that they feel was stolen from them last year. Head coach Corinne Varhley said, “Last year, Glen Ridge hit the tire of our goal– which is out of bounds– and the ball bounced back in and [the refs] called a stroke, losing us the game.”
Given the history of these two teams, and the fashion in which the game ended, this one felt extra rewarding for the Blue Devils. Senior co-captain Abi Mokryzcki said, “To win like this, and be able to celebrate with your teammates after is super fun.”
Starting slow, the scoreboard felt empty until six minutes left in the third quarter. From then on, everyone was on the edge of their seats. Glen Ridge was first to break the drought, but junior Emma Schwarzenbeck responded almost immediately with a goal of her own after being awarded a stroke.
The game went into the fourth quarter tied, 1-1, but not before a Glen Ridge defender would be assessed a 10-minute yellow card for arguing with the referee. Tension was building, with great defense from both teams, and some impressive saves from Westfield goalie Haley Berger, it was 1-1 with 3 minutes left in the fourth quarter. That’s when senior co-captain Becca Silverman spun around her defender and put the Blue Devils up 2-1.
Nonetheless, it was never gonna be that easy to walk away from this game. Glen Ridge responded right away on a stroke only 30 seconds after Silverman’s goal. It was obvious that this game was going down to the wire.
After 2 more minutes of an all-out battle, that’s when Carr took matters into her own hands to walk it off for the Blue Devils. Carr said, “There was a lot of pressure riding on this game because of last year, so I kind of just shot it without even thinking about it.”
After the drama of last year’s contest, and the nature of this win, Varhley said, “We had the mental game won today. We out-hustled them, outplayed them, and we did not give up, so it means so much to just keep pushing through.”
The Blue Devils will build on this win and carry on their momentum to face off against Columbia, at Underhill Field in Maplewood this Monday.
