Earlier this season, the Blue Devils defeated the Raiders 2-1 for the first time in program history.
However, in their latest matchup, the result was different: Westfield fell 2-0 to SPF, struggling to match the Raiders’ intensity and execution.
SPF came out with noticeable energy and set the tone early by winning the first set 25-14. After losing earlier in the season, they knew what needed to be improved to beat the Blue Devils, and they did just that. Play after play, the Raiders kept Westfield on their toes, but the Blue Devils seemed unable to build the same momentum as in their previous matchup.
Head coach Edward Saggio highlighted intensity as a key factor heading into this game. “[The Raiders] were going to be mad as hell that we beat them [earlier this season]. We didn’t match their intensity [this time],” he said.
A major difference that was emphasized between the two games was the Blue Devils’ blocking and defense. Senior tri-captain Ethan Cha said, “I think it was definitely the defense that was a big problem. There were a lot of holes in the blocks and we just weren’t moving our feet enough.”
Senior tri-captain Benjamin Bukiet-Beker also echoed how blocking was a significant factor in what played into their successes and failures. Coming into this game, the team was on a three-game winning streak, but they could not capitalize on the momentum in order to continue that streak.
SPF continuously found gaps in the Blue Devils’ formation, which allowed them to consistently make kill after kill. Cha said, “In recent games, [our blocking] was getting better, but today it was just a slump. We just weren’t doing well.”
In their last matchup, the Blue Devils recorded nine blocks, compared to only two blocks yesterday. Bukiet-Beker said, “We wanted to repeat that, play like we did last time. We had a lot of drive and motivation to beat them, but I guess they came out hungrier than us.”
The Blue Devils will look to regroup on Monday as they look to rediscover their intensity and defensive strength for their next home game at 4:00 p.m. against Roselle.
