Westfield took down Kent Place, 2-0, in a strong showing Thursday afternoon. The Blue Devils defeated Kent Place for the second time this year, marching their way to an 11-0 record on the season.
The Blue Devils opened up with possession. An ace from senior co-captain Carly Rodrigues and good communication put them up early. When Westfield gave away possession, it didn’t last for long, as Kent Place struggled serving it over the net, handing it back to the Blue Devils.
As Kent Place retained possession, it began attempting aggressive kills, but good defensive play from junior Caitlin Cabrales kept Westfield in points as the Blue Devils took over with help from Kent Place miscommunication. Cabrales took her spot behind the service line and delivered an ace, giving the momentum to Westfield as it went on a run to take a 10-4 lead. The Blue Devils continued their possession with good team communication, allowing for big kills from seniors Ally Muller and co-captain Jess Currie.
Throughout the first set it was clear that Westfield was by far the superior team, taking a 19-6 lead and eventually winning the first set, 25-9, behind kills from Muller and good overall team defense.
The first set was a statement that Kent Place didn’t take lightly, starting with possession and taking an early lead. Kent Place then handed it back over to Westfield after a faulty serve, Rodrigues started it off with an ace, and a kill from Currie gave Westfield the lead. Senior co-captain Allie DiFalco and junior Giuliana Gallo led the way for Westfield, delivering multiple aces from behind the service line. Despite good defense from Kent Place, the Dragons were overpowered by the Blue Devils’ front four, which put the score to 18-14; Cabrales then had a big kill, bringing victory within reach. Junior Grace Kim then sealed victory after back-to-back aces, winning the set, 25-18.
The servers for Westfield were on their game, as aces after aces gave Westfield the upper-hand against an inferior Kent Place team. Westfield is currently ranked ninth in the state and is hoping to continue its undefeated campaign when it travels to North Hunterdon on Saturday.
