Melrose gave a noble effort staving off elimination in game 3, but lost the D2 North title game to Central.
Melrose qualified for the D2 North final for the fifth consecutive year, squaring off with Central Catholic from the powerful Merrimack Valley League. Melrose came in 22-0, mostly facing North Shore League competition, while Central had battled MVC heavyweights like Andover, Lawrence, Billerica, Chelmsford, and Haverhill.
A large contingent of Melrose students, fans, families, and parents traveled to Andover for the annual showdown at Andover's Dunn Gym. Central came out fast with their terrific sophomore setter Carolyn Eddy and 6'2" Katie Zenevitch pounding Melrose with outside kills, while Melrose couldn't get in offensive sync. Melrose's slams repeatedly went long or wide, and Central took game one 25-10.
Things didn't get much better in game two, with Central again dominating with Katie Z, senior captain Audrey Warren, Maggie Hillman, and Lauren Berg slamming from all directions. Central looked like the team of destiny, winning 25-18.
Game three was tight fairly early after Melrose got the lead. Around midway through the stanza a run triggered by double blocks by Hannah Brickley and Laura Irwin or Leslie Hirschfeld and Gina Ciccone gave Melrose a 17-10 lead. Melrose gained confidence and went up 24-12 before Central went on a closing run to bring the game to 24-19 before a service error by Central sent the teams to intermission.
Game four was a donnybrook, with numerous lead changes and ties. Melrose got solid play from Hannah, Nicole Glavin, and setter Colleen Hanscom in particular. Melrose took a time out trailing 23-21, got a pair of points, and Central called time. Central followed with a brilliant lob from traffic over the Melrose defense and an Eddy push that tickled the tape and fell to the court to seal the victory.
Lady Raider Notes: Melrose showed great heart with their comeback and should take pride in their fifth consecutive appearance at Andover. Central presented a great challenge with superior height, excellent athleticism matching the Lady Raiders and more offensive 'guns' than the Lady Raiders could muster.
Although I'm sure the Lady Raiders are disappointed at coming up a little short, the Runnerup Trophy should give them ample motivation to prepare for next season's challenges. The fans gave departing seniors Hirschfeld, Ciccone, Lauren Howe, and Glavin a great appreciation ovation.
Melrose returns a healthy 'core' of starters including setter Hanscom, middle Brickley, outside Irwin, and defenders Jess Farr and Kelly O'Neill. Plenty of opportunities exist for positions in both the front and back row, and Melrose will seek to develop the kind of powerful offense needed to advance deep into the playoffs. Central also brings back the core of their team and I expect Melrose and Central to be back at each other the next several seasons.
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