Stretch Run

It's that time of the year again, time for the stretch run. Having dispatched with Burlington 3-0 Friday, highlighted by 14 consecutive service points by Taylor Pearson, the Lady Raiders look ahead to the final ten days of the regular season, and the MIAA playoffs. Note that MIAA rules require bleacher seating for at least 500 for Division semifinal games, clearly a requirement not enforced for previous years, notably 2004 where Melrose fans were turned away for the Division II North semifinals.

Click here for the 2006 Tournament Alignments. 26 schools participate in the Division II North Section, with some of the stronger 'traditional' programs including Arlington Catholic, Central Catholic, Dracut, Melrose, and North Andover. This season Hamilton-Wenham has made great strides and Tewksbury is reported to have a highly competitive team. Reading moved up to Division I. Greater Lowell (almost 2000) and Madision Park (over 1600) have the largest enrollments in D2 North, while Quincy Upper and McKinley Tech both have fewer than 250.

This week, Melrose faces always tough Central Catholic from the Merrimack Valley Conference, Stoneham for Senior Night, and travels to Reading to battle the Rockets for first place in both the Middlesex League and the North Shore League.

Melrose stands at 13-3 overall (7-1 Middlesex League) having improved steadily and now playing their best volleyball of the season. Keys to their success have included service consistency, the steady setting of Taylor Pearson, front row defense stabilized by the development of freshman Hannah Brickley, and improved overall defense from the back line.

Lady Raider Notes:

Melrose looks to get on a roll Monday against a perennial powerhouse Central Catholic at 4 p.m. at Roosevelt School Gymnasium. Tuesday is Senior Night against Stoneham, with starting time rolled back to 5 o'clock. Melrose seniors include Co-Captains Laura Dillon and Rachel Towle, Sam Hamel, Taylor Pearson, and Kelsey Quinn. You can track the latest overall Cape Ann League results (participants in the North Shore League at CALScores.