Friday, October 06, 2023

Game 11: Melrose 3 Lexington 1

Winning is hard, which makes it valuable. Melrose hosted 7-4 Lexington, emerging with a 25-15, 25-23, 20-25, 25-22 win. The win boosts Melrose to 10-1 as they enter the second half of the season. 

The first set was up and down. Melrose trailed 13-14 amidst service and receive errors. They took control with Leah Fowke serving and won going away. 

A key moment occurred in the second stanza, Melrose trailing 19-20, Coach Scott Celli asks freshman Anna Burns to answer the bell on the service line. "Be the guy." 


She delivers four service points to lead 23-20 but Lexington rallies to square the score at 23. But Lexington makes a pair of errors to deliver the set to Melrose. 

At point ten, Melrose goes full on pirate with "blow the man down" against the Lexington defense. Sadie Jagger is the architect. 


Sofia Papatsoris follows that up with a winner.
 

Sadie then hammers home a backset.
 

There just weren't enough moments amidst unforced errors and Lexington captured the set. 

Melrose and Lexington continued to battle through the fourth. Trailing 19-20, Sofia Papatsoris makes a key block to even the score. 


Tied at 22, Manon Marchais gets a winner on a long rally.


Game notes: Numerous former Melrose stars attended - Elena Soukos, Gia Vlajkovic, Ruth Breen, Abby Hudson. 

Melrose won without playing its best volleyball. The team can clean up net violations, service, and serve receive. Whether the long Winchester match left a hangover is only speculation. 

Once winning the tenth win of the season clinched a playoff spot. The new playoff format has moved past that. 

Melrose came in with a power ranking of 3.581 (35.81 points/10 games). A two point win and Lexington's rating of 2.66 should add 4.66 points, and the new total 40.47/11 would move the power rating to 3.679. I could be wrong.  

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