Westfield’s defense stood firm against Kent Place for much of the game, but two late goals in the fourth quarter pushed the Dragons to victory.
After Kent Place scored early in the first quarter, Westfield’s defense shut down the offensive pressure until the final minutes. Head coach Corrine Varhley said, “Defense had a great game,” despite the Blue Devils’ offensive struggles.
Senior defender Maeve Wojcik was an integral part of the back line that pushed back against Kent Place’s relentless attack. She said, “It was definitely very offensive for them, so just being able to hold them, in my opinion, was very impressive.” Alongside senior co-captain Chloe Martin, Wojcik anchored the defense and prevented Kent Place from capitalizing for nearly three quarters.
Wojcik credited Martin for her steady support on the field as she started playing field hockey two years ago. Their chemistry on the field is undeniable. Wojcik said, “She is someone that I can lean back on. I know that I always have that support and that backup from her.”
Behind them, senior goalie Haley Berger delivered a standout performance. She tallied numerous saves during important moments. After the first goal, she said, “My mindset definitely changed because when they scored on me, the girl pulled it right out of bounds and then came in and pretended like nothing happened, and that definitely fueled my fire.” Berger said she was mad after the first goal, a feeling that aided her in fending off Kent Place attempts until the fourth quarter.
While Westfield’s defense impressed, on the other side of the field, Westfield could not capitalize. Westfield finished with only two shots on goal the entire game, one from almost midfield. Senior co-captain Riley Carr said, “I think our biggest issue today was that we had amazing through balls, but the pace wasn’t right, and it would either be too fast or too slow.”
Looking ahead, Westfield plays Hillsborough Saturday at home, the same team that ended their season in the state tournament last season. Coach Varhley said that the loss last year is “motivation to get some payback and show them what good of a team we are.” Carr explained that for tomorrow’s game, the team needs to work on their pace because once it is cleaned up, results and shots will follow.
