It all came down to the third set for Westfield and Watchung Hills as the teams had split the first two sets. Westfield called a timeout after Watchung Hills went up 22–21, only needing three points to win it all. From the timeout forward, the Warriors did not get another point, and Westfield took home a 2–1 win.
The final serve in the third set came from senior Micah Berger with Westfield leading 24–22. The serve was returned by the Warriors, but senior Brayden Abo and sophomore Veer Agarwal were there for the block. Westfield was able to get the ball back over the net and Watchung Hills tried to convert, but Agarwal was there for a block that Watchung Hills was unable to return, which won the match for the Blue Devils. Westfield players and fans erupted onto the court in celebration of another win.
The Blue Devils have had a strong start to this year’s season and went into the match with an undefeated 4-0 record, the longest winning streak in program history. With a fifth win added from this match, the Blue Devils are continuing to make program history.
Westfield didn’t show its strength in the first set of the match against the Warriors. “We came up pretty weak, kind of fell apart and didn’t have the right start or mindset,” said senior Jason Billings. “[After the first set], we came in to do what we wanted to do and we just played better.”
Struggling with their blocks and kills, the Blue Devils spent the majority of the first set trailing the Warriors as they fought to gain points. Through this struggle, Westfield found itself gaining momentum toward the end of the first set. The Blue Devils ended up finishing three points short, losing 25–22 in the first set. “We definitely need to improve on not falling behind early; we tend to do that which is why we lost the first set,” said Billings.
“Our usual setter is away, so we went to a five-one offense and it was great,” said head coach Ed Saggio. “We served really well, and after the first set, we attacked well; we terminated.”
Heading into the second set, Westfield came out with energy that filled the entirety of the gym. The Blue Devils showcased their ability to perform, leading 22–10 at one point and winning the set 25–14.
Like in the second set, Westfield came out strong in the third set. Despite being down once the Warriors hit 22 points, the Blue Devils surged once again, winning the final set and securing yet another impressive win.
Throughout this match the Blue Devils hoped to succeed together despite missing a key player, and they did just that. Westfield looks forward to its next opponent, Roselle, in three days.
“The next goal is just keep pushing, stay undefeated, and see how it goes,” Billings said.
