All Grit for Senior Class

WESTFIELD, Mass. -- "We have a great team dynamic," Cayla Durkee says, "We have to leave a good example for the ones under us."

While Westfield State graduated 3,200 points from last year's roster, this 2020 version of the Owls has carried on the tradition of the System – ranking second in the nation in points scored, leading the nation in three pointers and steals.

With their eyes set on a fifth straight conference championship, the Owls have once again positioned themselves to make a deep postseason run with the help of their leaders found in this year's senior class - four-year senior guards Chelsea Moussette (Southampton, Mass./Hampshire Regional), Cayla Durkee (Georgetown, Mass./Georgetown), and Alyssa Camara (Quincy, Mass./Quincy).

In winning three straight MASCAC regular-season and tournament titles, the trio has combined for over 1,300 points, nearly 500 steals.

Even though the 2019-20 Owls are younger than teams of the past, their leadership has translated on and off the court success says head coach Andrea Bertini.

"This senior class are genuinely together," Bertini explains "They spend time outside of practice and games with each other and they just support each other. Their similar personalities are great to have no matter what the situation we could be in."

Even the seniors themselves have embraced the leadership role, understanding what their younger teammates should strive to be.

"There are a lot new faces on the court that are contributing big minutes and big plays," Alyssa Camara describes, "Having that big underclassmen number, it allows us as seniors to fill in that leadership role."

CHELSEA MOUSSETTE

The standout player from this group of seniors has been Chelsea Moussette. Moussette, a movement science major, has had her best season of her Owls career this season by averaging over 11 points-per-game along with ranking fifth in the nation in assists-per-game and second in total assists.

Being the starting point guard for all but two games in her four years was not necessarily the plan entering Moussette's freshman year.

"Coming in as a freshman, I wasn't even expecting to play," Moussette says, "I knew there were two great point guards ahead of me and when they got hurt, it created that opportunity for me and Alyssa."

"We had some injuries that opened up the opportunity for Chelsea and she just ran with it," Bertini describes, "The way she has been able to set the tone as our point guard has been fun to watch."

"[Chelsea] is the type of player to get us out of a rut mid-game with a big play either offensively or defensively," Camara explains, "Practicing together and pushing each other the last four years is surreal. Every time she crosses me up in practice makes me wicked mad, but it also fuels me to be better. It is so good to play with someone who doesn't have a brake."

More than 500 career assists puts Moussette third all-time at Westfield State and fifth in career average at 4.6 assists-per-game. Moussette is also in the top ten all-time in steals (241), three-pointers made (121), and is closing in on 800 career points

"I never really expect to put up big numbers," Moussette explains, "I just wanted to play basketball and make everyone better around me since that is what the point guard should do."

Standing at 5-1, Moussette has shown throughout her career that it has been heart over height that has led to her and the team's success. Her play has even been inspiring to those around her.

"Chelsea is the best point guard I've ever played with and I started playing basketball when I was four," Durkee details, "The things she does in practice puts everyone in shock and its crazy to see the things she does."

One of Moussette's biggest contributions to the team has been the way she controls the game and gets the pace to where the team wants. With 'The System' in place, that can be hard to figure out, but Moussette has been efficient in that role.

"We call Chelsea 'The Party Starter' and that's not for nothing," Bertini says, "We play fast and sometimes it's hard to coach someone if they're playing too fast or too slow. With Chelsea, she has the ability to play at full speed."

ALYSSA CAMARA

Along with Moussette, Alyssa Camara has had a similar road to get where she is now. As an athletic training major, Camara has seen her minutes increase this year as the backup point guard. However, since her freshman year, Camara has been one of the more enthusiastic players for the Owls no matter what her role is.

"Alyssa is essentially the glue that keeps this team together," Bertini says, "She is able to connect with everyone and is just positive all the time. Her ball-handling and passing has been great to see grow as well."

"We didn't have [Alyssa] at practice one time and you could just tell the energy was a little off," Moussette describes, "She is the main person that brings the energy, enthusiasm, and happiness."

For Camara, it is more of a life motto about being vocal and supportive more than being a good teammate.

"As a person, I've always been vocal, but now that the years have come I always want to be that leader," Camara explains, "I want to encourage everybody and make sure that everybody on the team knows how important they are. In life, in order to make myself better, I'm going to try extra hard to help others because it makes me feel good and it fuels me."

CAYLA DURKEE

Durkee, a movement science major, has had her career limited at times by injuries, but what she contributes on and off the floor goes well beyond the stat sheet.

"Cayla is so unselfish," Moussette says, "She's always looking for that extra pass and gets in for rebounds more than anyone on this team. She is so good at seeing the floor especially in our press; she can anticipate when to come up or when to stay back."

"When I think of Cayla, I think of her looking for that better pass and knowing where in the game to take those shots," Camara describes, "Being aggressive and not being pushed around would be her number one priority and getting us that defensive flow."

Coach Bertini highlights the biggest part of Durkee's game is how intelligent she is on the court.

"[Durkee] is probably the smartest player that I've ever coached in my fifteen years," Bertini details, "She is so unselfish and just understands the game so much. I'll be disappointed if she does not become a coach eventually."

REFLECTIONS

All three players explain that playing with 'The System' for many years has changed the way they see things related to the game of basketball.

"It took a while to get used to 'The System,'" Durkee describes, "There were times I'd come off the court freshman year and not even drip a sweat, but looking back, that's just me not working hard enough. No one else does 'The System.' The goal is to tire out the other team because they aren't playing they're whole bench like we are. I don't think I could ever play a 'real' game of basketball again."

"I think it's the best thing that could've happened to me was coming to this school and this program," Camara explains, "Freshman year, you just wanted to play and it was so hard to adjust because you didn't know how to. Now we know that we have to have a more efficient warm-up. It's so good knowing that you're only in there for a minute so you know you have to leave everything out there. It's taught me in life to look forward and focus on the next play and I couldn't imagine playing basketball without it."

"It feels like I'm playing the whole game" said Moussette. "The subbing is so quick that you don't even have time to think about it," 

This group of seniors don't need statistics or numbers to show how great they have been; instead they are a group that just wants to go out and play.

"Last year when we won at Worcester State to win the MASCAC Championship, we were all celebrating and Alyssa [Camara] was crying," Bertini details, "That just illustrates what this group is like; we love to compete, we love to push ourselves and just love to play overall."

--Written by Joe Braverman, Sports Information Intern