The Bridgewater-Raritan High School girls volleyball team traveled to Basking Ridge Wednesday to challenge rival Ridge on its home court. But the Devils were a different team than the one that dropped two straight in the Somerset County final Saturday, and won the match 2-0.

IN SHORT

The Ridge girls volleyball team celebrated its Senior Night Wednesday, prior to the match against the Panthers. And when the match started, the Devils team was playing an inspired game, and took the first game, 25-18. But the newly crowned Somerset County Champion Bridgewater Panthers team, ranked No. 16 by the Star Ledger, was not going down easily and turned the tables in the second game, running up 7 unanswered points to start. Only one thing got in the way: the No. 9-Star-Ledger-ranked Devils. Led by seniors Lindsay Witt and Jodi Sherman, Ridge battled back to tie at 15, and take the second game, 25-23.

PANTHER OF THE GAME

Brianna Burke, middle, blocker—Burke led the team with seven kills, two blocks and six digs.

"We had one of our players out due to an illness for the last 10 days and Brianna stepped up on Saturday in the 'Counties' with a huge performance and had another great game tonight.  That speaks volumes about her moving from a role player to a starter. She really did a good job."—Bridgewater coach Corey Romanak

THEY SAID IT

"It came down to who wanted to win more. And Ridge clearly wanted to win more than we did today. It was the same kind of thing that happened on Saturday [at the county championships].  It was a little back and forth, and they got into our heads. Ridge was much more aggressive and I think that was the difference in the game tonight."—Romanak

UP NEXT—The Panthers will host Scotch Plains-Fanwood Thursday at 5:15 p.m.