After three different teams forfeited, the WHS girls soccer team advanced directly to the quarter finals, playing their first game of the state tournament against Woodbridge. The Blue Devils eventually mercied the Barrons, and ended Woodbridge’s run in states with a shutout. With an 8-0 victory, the girls will now advance to the Section 2 Group 4 semifinals.
Westfield wasted no time taking control of the game with a goal from senior Ava Jasina in the first 30 seconds of the first half, setting the tone for how the rest of the game would be played.
Westfield’s relentless attack and ability to capitalize on scoring opportunities left Woodbridge struggling to keep pace, as the Blue Devils carried a seven goal lead into halftime. Jasina said, “We talked a lot about being relentless, and the way we attack no matter the competition and whoever we play.”
Following Jasina’s goal, the strong offensive power continued with 2 goals from sophomore Gabriella Hollins and one from senior Molly McDermott soon after, making the score 4-0 with 32:53 minutes left in the first half.
While the Blue Devils came out victorious, many shots were unsuccessful following their goal streak. With many failed attempts through corner kicks and shots, junior Victoria Corcoran knew she needed to make a statement. With 9:18 left in the first half, Corcoran took a shot, and laid the ball perfectly in the back of the net making the Blue Devils lead even greater.
In three minute intervals, senior Desra Sonnek-Schmelz and junior Courtney Smith scored, allowing WHS to end the first half with a whopping 7-0 lead.
The Blue Devils have been preparing extremely hard over the past week since their win at the Union County Championship and head coach Alex Schmidt said that the girls were extremely eager to play and disciplined when it comes to their training.
“This team was well below what we’re used to playing, so we’d like to say, hey, this sets us up really well, but you just don’t know, right? The next opponent’s gonna be Bridgewater, which is gonna be very different from this. We got some goals, moved the ball around really well, but in terms of really preparing us, I’m not sure how much it actually has,” said Schmidt.
Going into the second half with an incredibly dominant lead, the girls focused on communication, teamwork and keeping the ball in play. “In practice, we’ve been practicing combination plays and have been working on getting the ball wide. I feel like this whole game we were just making sure we were doing that and not just [passing] through the middle,” Smith said. “In terms of teamwork, it helps that we’re always with each other and have psych parties before every game. It sets us up really well.”
Their final goal of the game, scored by senior co-captain Emilie Cadigan, gave the Blue Devils the final push they needed to mercy Woodbridge with 20 minutes left in the second half.
Westfield’s victory over Woodbridge served as a statement performance as the Blue Devils returned to the field for the first time since counties. From an explosive first half to a composed finish, Westfield showcased its offensive power, while maintaining a strong defensive presence to secure the shutout. The mercy rule victory not only capped off a dominant win but also allowed the Blue Devils to build momentum as they continued their season run and advanced further into the state tournament.
The girls will participate in the sectional semi-finals against Bridgewater-Raritan at home, time TBD on Nov. 10. They will go into the next game knowing, “Everyone’s scared to play [Westfield], and we’ve worked so hard to get that reputation,” Jasina said.
