Rockets Second Stage Fizzles, Melrose Goes 3-0

Melrose had a successful home opener, downing Reading 3-1 to go 3-0, 2-0 in the Middlesex League.

Reading brought in an experienced setter and libero, and one solid outside hitter and captured Game 1 28-26. Reading came out punching early, going up 6-2 before Melrose assumed control while Hannah Brickley served. Melrose went up 16-11 with a 14-5 run, but Reading fought back to tie, after trailing 24-21. Melrose struggled to find its rhythm throughout, with only six kills in the game. Melrose and Reading traded points to 26, before Reading rallied to win 28-26. Siena Mamayek did have three blocks in the game.

In Game 2, Melrose went out fast, leading 4-1 and 6-2, but again lacked rhythm, scoring on Reading errors. Reading then rallied to go up 9-7 and 12-9, although the broadcast team had trouble following the score. Melrose had only three kills up to a deficit of 24-20 with Reading having quadruple game point. At that point Melrose turned the tables with a Colleen Hanscom ace, and a Brickley kill before tying the frame at 24. Melrose then had a net serve, but then scored the next three points including a key kill by Laura Irwin at 25 all, as they took Game 2 27-25.

Games 3 and 4 showed an entirely new team, as Melrose began attacking defensively at the net and Hannah caught fire with a flurry of kills. Melrose unofficially had nine kills in the third game, including seven from Hannah and a pair from Laura. Melrose trailed 8-7, but then unleashed an 18-6 run to overwhelm the Rockets 25-14. Melrose also reduced its service errors to one in the game, from four in game one and two in the second stanza.

Game 4 was similar, with Melrose and Reading knotted at seven, with an 8-0 Lady Raider run bringing the game to 15-7 and Melrose closed out Reading 25-11, finishing with an 18-4 breakout.

Reading likes to pass to the middle (setter) who then feeds the outside for hitting. Melrose countered with double blocks, and Reading also struggled mightily with the so-called 'one-ball' the short set. Although they executed it occasionally, it proved more of a liability than asset overall for Reading. Similarly, backpassing for back-row hitting proved unreliable.

Once Melrose got Hannah going, Reading was defenseless and the rout was on. Early on, Melrose struggled both with the serve-receive but also with an element of passivity that gave the visitors the momentum. Once Melrose assumed the offensive both hitting at the net and attacking defensively, they dominated.

The Brickley Barrage in Game 3 led the assault, and Siena Mamayek's aggressive defense was a difference maker. Colleen Hanscom chased passes everywhere and Laura had an especially strong outing defensively. Alex Harlow was solid off the bench defensively in the back row.