With 32:55 left in the second half, senior Ava Jasina found the back of the net off a pass from sophomore Gabriella Hollins, putting the Blue Devils up 4-1. Westfield held onto the lead for the remainder of the game, earning a 4-1 victory over the Chatham Cougars.
From the opening whistle, the Blue Devils brought intensity to the field, controlling possession and creating opportunities against a skilled Chatham team. Westfield’s offensive pressure paid off with 28:25 remaining in the first half, when senior co-captain Emilie Cadigan fired a shot into the upper-right corner of the net to give the Blue Devils a 1-0 lead.
With 5:29 left in the first half, senior Molly McDermott doubled Westfield’s lead, scoring off a rebound to make it 2-0.
Chatham answered just over two minutes later, scoring off a set piece from a few yards outside the box, bringing the Cougars within reach late in the half.
Chatham didn’t make it easy for the Blue Devils, as they had to make some complex adjustments. Heading into the second half, Westfield knew they needed to maintain their intensity to respond to the challenges.
“We knew coming into the second half that we had to keep our intensity high and be more consistent about finishing our chances,” said sophomore Carolina Corcoran. “They were playing with two attacking midfielders, which made it difficult for us to get comfortable in the midfield. Once we recognized that and adjusted, we were able to settle in and play our game.”
The Blue Devils continued to apply the pressure against Chatham to set up another scoring opportunity. In a flash, with 38:52 left in the second half, McDermott scored her second goal of the afternoon, extending Westfield’s lead to 3-1.
Westfield continued to pressure Chatham, eventually adding another goal with 32:55 remaining. Hollins assisted Jasina to make the score 4-1, giving the Blue Devils a comfortable lead.
“We knew that we needed to bring a lot of energy and fierceness because we knew Chatham was going to be a strong, competitive team,” said senior co-captian Georgia Morelli. “I think we responded really well to that challenge. We played with confidence, stayed aggressive and showed the level of intensity that we want to have every time we step on the field.”
With a three-goal lead, Westfield persevered and relied on its defense.
“We hold each other accountable a lot, especially because we put so much responsibility on our defense,” said Morelli. “They were really strong today and did a great job staying organized and communicating. When we can trust our defense to hold our end and then capitalize on our chances offensively, it gives a lot of confidence as a team.”
For Corcoran, the game was an important test for the Blue Devils, especially as one of their first difficult competitions this season.
“I think we did really well, especially because this was our first real hard competition of the season,” said Corcoran. “It was a good test of how we respond when we’re playing against a strong team, and I think we showed that we can trust each other and stay composed. We knew we had to rely on one another, and I think we did that really well.”
Although Westfield came away with the victory, the players know there are still areas to improve before their next game.
“We did a much better job capitalizing on our opportunities in the second half, but I think we left some chances out there in the first half,” said Morelli. “Defensively, I thought we were really strong, but we can still get better at playing through the midfield. We want to connect our passes, find those combinations and put ourselves in better positions to finish our chances up top.”
Corcoran agreed, pointing to passing and communication as areas the team will look to improve.
“For the next game, we need to be cleaner with our passing through the midfield and make sure we’re all working back defensively,” said Corcoran. “Communication is another big thing for us. There’s always room to communicate better, and when we’re talking and working together, I think that’s when we play our best.”
The Blue Devils will play at Summit in their next game on Thursday at 4 p.m., where the Blue Devils are looking to build on this victory and continue their strong start to the season.
The coach was unavailable for comment.
