Game 9: Furious Attack Leads Melrose to Clinch at Least Title Tie, Sweep Wakefield 3-0

Cannon to right of them,

Cannon to left of them,

Cannon in front of them

Volleyed and thundered;

Stormed at with shot and shell,

Boldly they rode and well,

Into the jaws of Death,

Into the mouth of hell

Rode the six hundred.

- Alfred Lord Tennyson, Charge of the Light Brigage

Wakefield's mission was beating Melrose volleyball this year. Unleashing a furious attack, Melrose had none of it, sweeping the Warriors 25-10, 25-19, 25-13. Melrose (9-0) hosts Burlington Monday at 1 P.M. and Wakefield ends the regular season 6-4. 

Melrose played championship level volleyball for much of the match. 

The Lady Raiders delivered bomb after bomb from a cavalcade of merciless hitters. The attack came early and often from both sides, Elena Soukos and Abby Hudson on the strong side, Gia Vlajkovic and others from the opposite, and a mix of blocks, quick sets, and power hitting from Chloe Gentile, Emily Hudson, and Grace Sanderson from the middle. Aggression, relentlessness, and ferocity spoke volumes. 

The score didn't reflect the skill or the effort from Kayla Wyland's Wakefield squad, who played well. For example, Melrose took an early 9-2 lead in the second set, Wakefield fought back to trail 11-9, and a Scott Celli timeout led to another relentless Melrose rally. 

Eva Haralabatos was outstanding at setter and Autumn Whelan conjured visions of All-State libero Jill MacInness, now a Wakefield assistant. It was a total team effort. 

Lady Raider Notes: Wakefield's improvement this year was notable with excellent defense and setting. They have risen well into the first division of the Middlesex League.

Melrose has much to look forward to with a panoply of young hitters. Twenty years of watching Melrose volleyball tell me that Abby Hudson and Gia Vlajkovic are both in the top three of greatest improvement over one season.