After losing to Oak Knoll in penalty kicks to end their season last year, the Westfield varsity girls soccer team is back and better than ever this fall. The Lady Blue Devils have had an impressive season, with huge wins against Scotch Plains-Fanwood lifting them to first in their division.

The girls ended last year with an impressive 15-0-5 record but could not win a county or state championship. However, the girls headed into their last regular-season game on Oct. 19 with a 14-0 record, proving once again they have what it takes to be serious contenders in this season’s county and state tournaments.

“On the field we have become a ‘pressing nightmare’ for opponents,” said Head Coach Alex Schmidt. “We like to high press and to do that you need to be extremely fit. The girls continue to grow in all other facets of the game as well.”

Of the team’s 24 members, 13 are seniors, led by co-captains Natalie Bond and Grace Elliot. Many of the girls are returning varsity players, but there are also new underclassmen players as well as senior Katie Butler, who transferred from Mount Saint Mary Academy in Watchung.

“Coming into this season as a new senior has been challenging,” Butler said. “But I am grateful for the experience and to be a part of a team like this.”

Assistant Coach Katherine Wertheimer applauds the veteran players for helping the new additions adjust quickly to make LBD as powerful as possible. “The seniors have taken younger players under their wings and incorporated them into the team seamlessly,” said Wertheimer.

The team’s strengths include an efficient defense, a powerful offense and, most importantly, the indescribable bond between teammates.

“Our team has grown so much because we have figured out a way to win in every game thus far,” Bond said. “Aside from skill, it’s our connection and ability to tire teams out that allows us to get the job done.”

On Sept. 9, LBD broke a 16-game winless streak against SPF with a 1-0 victory. This win marked the program’s first triumph over SPF since 2011. The rivals then faced off again on Oct. 7.

“SPF thought that we won based off of luck,” said senior Ashley Gigon. “We needed to show them again that the scoreboard speaks for itself.” And LBD did just that. With another 1-0 win, the Lady Blue Devils have swept the season series against Scotch Plains for the first time since 2009.

“Beating SPF twice is an amazing feeling,” said Bond. “We just want to carry that moment into the postseason. That’s what matters most. Beating them in the regular season gives us the confidence to do it again in the big moments.”

Although LBD hopes to win it all, they understand the obstacles they will have to overcome to get there.

“We need to take one step at a time,” Gigon said. “We are playing Oak Knoll in the semifinals before we can get to county finals and they beat us last year in semifinals of counties, so we cannot overlook them.”
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The Lady Blue Devils look to continue the momentum they have gained throughout this season as they play Oak Knoll in the Union County semifinals on Sunday at 7:15 p.m. at Arthur L. Johnson High School in Clark.