Westfield head coach Beverly Torok was in tears after her team overpowered the Highlanders in the Union County Tournament semifinals. Westfield won in the third set after taking a loss in the second set of the match. The Blue Devils and Highlanders have met once before this season, where Westfield obliterated them, however, this was not the case tonight.
Westfield dominated the first set as it got off to a quick 8-0 lead courtesy of senior co-captain Carly Rodrigues who was able to translate from her serve. This jump start from the Blue Devils took away any chance Governor Livingston had at recovering in the first set. Junior Abby Pevzner came up big in this set as well with several blocks and kills before going down with an injury; however, she did not sit out for long. Pevzner said, “I really wanted to get back out there and bring energy for my team.”
The high energy on the Blue Devils’ end led to a 25-11 win in the first set. Countless cheers from the crowd and the Blue Devil bench echoed throughout the small gym of Arthur L. Johnson High School and brought Westfield the momentum needed to squash Governor Livingston. Meanwhile, GL was not going down without a fight.
As the second set began, Westfield and GL traded off scoring opportunities but this soon diminished as the Highlanders charged ahead, leaving the Blue Devils with no hope of ending the match early. Westfield’s trouble in the second set was due to “the blocking of the Highlanders and their timing was causing [them] to have difficulty on our offense,” said Torok. Westfield would lose this set 25-22 and a third set was forced by the Highlanders.
“After a loss in the second set, it is important to stay positive going into the third because staying positive definitely keeps our energy up and always helps us hype eachother up. Overall, it allows us to play better,” said Sophomore Catie Carayannopoulos.
Westfield came out on fire in the third set, knowing a trip to the county final was on the line. Carayannopoulos was the attacking factor for the Blue Devils in this must win set. She showed versatility both offensively and defensively as her length made her a menace on the court. Westfield gained a 14 point lead and never looked back. Although there were many quality rallies, ultimately, Westfield would silence the Highlanders. The third set ended with a score of 25-16 and the Blue Devils clinched a spot in the county championship. “It is always one of our goals to get to the county finals,” said Torok.
Westfield improves its record to 16-1 and they will face their rival, Union Catholic, who they’ve already beaten twice this season, on Friday at Kean University. Torok said, “We have seen [Union Catholic] in the finals many times. They will be prepared and we will be prepared.” Westfield looks to capitalize on its strong service and improve upon covering its line before the match.
