Game 22: Westborough 3 Melrose 1

In one of my correspondences earlier this year, I remarked, "don't sleep on Westborough." Tonight they brought a diversified attack, including back row hitting, quick sets, and slide attacks and outlasted Melrose 25-14, 25-23, 22-25, and 25-23.

It was Senior Night, with the usual pageantry and decorations. Underclassmen presented a flower to each Westborough senior, and read tributes to a senior. Coach Celli recognized senior scorer Meg Tryder, and introduced seniors Amanda Cain, Ashley Harding, Stephanie Crovo, Meri Lessing, and Allie Nolan, as well as their parents.

They simply made more plays and fewer errors than Melrose and emerged with their second win over Melrose in the past three meetings.

After Melrose scored the opening two points of the set, Westborough dominated set one, leading 6-2 before Melrose got even at eight. But Melrose was relying too often on errors rather than winners as the Rangers brought double blocks from everywhere. The back row, including Amanda Cain, Ashley Harding, Victoria Crovo, and Marissa Cataldo had their hands full.

From there, Westborough went up 12-8 and Melrose never got closer than three (16-13), before the visitors closed out Melrose with a 9-1 run. Four service errors were costly and Melrose managed only four kills in the first set.

The Lady Raiders mustered more offense and competition in the second stanza. Melrose turned a 3-0 deficit into 4-3 and 7-5 leads, but the teams traded ties at 7, 9, 11 and 12 before Melrose went up 16-12. But a Westborough timeout snuffed out Melrose's momentum, and they went up 18-16. Melrose leveled it at eighteen on a Marissa Cataldo kill, and trailing 22-20, Melrose got even at 22, only to see Westborough go up 24-22, before Hannah Mulcahey struck back with a kill, only to see the Rangers take the set point.

Melrose had eleven kills including three for Victoria Crovo, two for Allie Nolan, Marissa, and Meri Lessing.

Melrose fought back strongly, coming out of the box 5-0, only to see the Rangers rally to within one at 6-5. Four Victoria Crovo kills in the first eight points fueled the rally, but Westborough garnered ties at 7, 8, 9 10, and 11 before the Lady Raiders went up 14-11 behind a pair of Cat Torpey kills and one from Meri.

Melrose nursed narrow leads at 17-13 and 18-14, but the Rangers got within one at 19-18 before widening the lead to 24-19. Even then, Westy wouldn't go away, getting to within a pair, before Melrose scored the final point to narrow the match to 2-1.

The 'V-Rex' Victoria had five kills abetted by a pair from Cat and Meri.

Melrose looked to level the match in set four but is was not to be. Westy led 6-2 and 7-4, and the comebacks drained Melrose, which finally got even at ten, with hard hitting from Meri and Hannah contributing. Westborough ran off four straight only to see Melrose respond with three. Melrose kept climbing uphill until they deadlocked the score at 18. The Rangers then led 20-18, only to see the home squad go up 21-20 with kills from Marissa and Meri.

Out of a Ranger timeout, Melrose had a costly service error, and the visitors followed that up with a pair to go up 23-21, only to see Melrose even the score at 23. But the energy expenditure of comeback finally caught up with Melrose as the Rangers simply outgunned Melrose down the stretch.

Game analysis: although Melrose struggled at times, as Westborough got the better of the net play, Coach Scott Celli noted that the team was still within two points of taking the match to five sets. I felt that it wasn't just the hitting edge that the Rangers enjoyed, but Melrose's inconsistency making routine plays (serve receives and digs) that they customarily make.

Lady Raider Notes: The last time Melrose lost its final game on Senior Night to Newton North, the team ran the table and emerged with a State Championship in 2012.

After the game, Coach Celli announced playoff callups (Emily DePietro, Julie Symonds, Jill Mercer, and Saoirse Connolly) and acknowledged the JV on their excellent 21-1 season. Congratulations to the team and the individuals who have an opportunity to contribute to post-season success.