Westfield overcame Hudson Catholic, 44–36, in the Hoopfest Holiday Invitational for its third win of the season.
The game began with a slow start offensively for both sides. With lockdown perimeter defense and aggressive rebounding, Westfield smothered Hudson Catholic. On the offensive end, Westfield had various opportunities but struggled to find its rhythm early, most of its missed shots coming from outside the arc. It seemed to be a matter of time until the Blue Devils did start finding the basket.
“We were a little rusty, but our defense is what propels us, and the girls were locked in, and even though things weren’t going our way offensively they stuck together, they dug down deep and did a great job defensively,” said head coach Liz McKeon.
From the second quarter on, the game became a different story. With senior co-captain Annie Ryan’s first 3-pointer of the game, Westfield found its offensive momentum. The Blue Devils started making their shots beyond the perimeter and were more successful in the paint. The game remained an overall defensive contest.
“We knew we had to be a little quicker on offense and move the ball around a lot, but we just knew we had to keep on shooting and they would fall, especially on offense we move the ball really well once we get it into the paint and penetrate [and] kick it out for the open shot,” said Ryan.
Much of the Blue Devils’ success can be attributed to their rebounding, outdoing their opponent 29-17. The Blue Devils’ 6 blocks and 8-11 free throw shooting were also major factors in their success. Hudson Catholic struggled to make critical shots in the final minutes, missing wide-open layups and succumbing to Westfield’s physicality, which sealed the Blue Devil victory.
The team was led by senior co-captain Paige Gorczyca with 14 points and 10 rebounds, followed by Ryan with 12 points and 3 assists, and sophomore Catie Carayannopoulos with 11 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks.
This game marked Westfield’s third win of the season and the closest margin of victory they’ve had this year. Though there was not a constant offensive spark, Westfield dominated defensively, especially on the perimeter and in its rebounding.
The Hoopfest Holiday Invitational, a slate of games played at St. John Vianney High School, featured Westfield and Hudson Catholic as the first matchup, followed by Union City vs. No. 7 St. Rose, No. 12 Immaculate Heart vs. No. 4 Immaculate Conception Montclair and later No. 9 New Providence vs. No. 1 St. John Vianney.
The Hoopfest Holiday Invitational continues for the Blue Devils on Thursday at 1:15 p.m., where they will face undefeated and No. 9 nationally ranked St. John Vianney for their toughest matchup yet.
