Wednesday, September 13, 2023

Game 3: Melrose 3 Reading 0 "Drive"

Melrose reached escape velocity with a 25-23, 25-17, 26-24 home win over the resilient Reading Rockets. The win elevates Melrose's record to 2-1. It wasn't easy. 

Let's pick it up in the third set, Melrose leading 2-0 with the set even at 24. Maggie Turner is on the line. 


Video from MHS-TV. 

Earlier today the message was "Drive." Sadie Jaggers heard and drove with two kills for the win. 

The first set could have gone either way as neither team sustained momentum and Melrose did some foot-shooting with five service errors. 

Set two saw Melrose jump out to a 6-0 lead followed by a Reading timeout. The Rockets made it competitive 16-11 before Melrose rallied back. At 19-12, Melrose squelched the comeback with tough defense from Grace Gentile and a Michelangelo's Ceiling finish from 6' 4" sophomore Sabine Wenzel. 


Set three saw Reading launch 3-0 requiring a Scott Celli timeout to stop the bleeding. Melrose responded with four consecutive points. The game seesawed to a tie at 15. 

Sadie Jaggers stepped up after great Reading defense. 


From 16-15, Reading went up 19-23 before a Gigi Albuja service run brought Melrose to 22-23 and a timeout. The timeout worked its intended effect with a service error, putting Melrose down 22-24 leading to the finish at the top. "Drive."

Melrose Notes: Face in the Crowd saw last year's All-State player Gia Vlajkovic in the stands. 

Melrose improved from Monday with a mixture of better defense, more assists and attacks, and a higher energy level.

Coach Celli inserted some minor tweaks with "offense-defense" substitution getting more size in the front line utilizing an Abby Dennison/Emme Boyer rotation.  


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