The final buzzer echoed through Warianco Park, marking the end of the season for the girls hockey team in the first round of the state tournament, an outcome that was far different from what they were hoping for.
Westfield started strong with a 2-0 lead over Hoboken in the first seven minutes of the first period, but in the second period the Blue Devils struggled on defense and let in four goals. Even with a continuous fight, the Blue Devils ultimately fell to the 13-4 Redwings, losing 7-5.
Going into the game, the Blue Devils had a clear strategy. “Our game plan was to wear them down and make strong and smart plays with the puck,” said head coach Matthew Gualtieri. “We did an excellent job in the first period. In the second period we weren’t as strong and we got into penalty trouble and they capitalized.”
Despite being down, the Blue Devils did not abandon their grit and structure. The girls continued to pass very effectively which resulted in multiple opportunities at the net, but they were unable to convert those chances into goals. The Hoboken goalie put up a good fight with 39 saves even with the strong Westfield offense.
“We did a good job of helping each other in the offensive zone to create opportunities in front of the net,“ said senior co-captain Sarina Sherman.
Gualtieri agreed, “We controlled the play and dictated the pace. I thought we generated offense well for the whole game. We had 44 shots on goal and probably another 20 that we missed or had blocked by their defense.”
The third period featured relentless action from both sides, with many back to back shots keeping the energy high. Westfield was able to respond to most of Hoboken goals, but could not gain their lead back for the remainder of the game.
Their momentum never dropped throughout the entire game, even after three back-to-back goals from Hoboken. They continued to play strong and successfully attack the net. This resilience was a constant throughout their season and this game reflected their drive for the sport.
A big presence on the ice was senior Lauren Delaney who scored two out of their five goals. Delaney said, “I think that we also stayed positive which allowed us to have some good passes and to stay aggressive.”
The Blue Devils ended their season with a winning record of 10-8-2, reflecting their competitiveness and growth they had all winter. While their run ended sooner than expected, their hard work and determination remained evident until the final whistle.
