Melrose proved inhospitable hosts today, annihilating Winchester 3-0 at the Middle School Gym.
Winchester came in confident after running up an early 8-2 record, with a skilled junior setter in Amy Wright and a tall, talented middle hitter in Samantha Mangano. Unfortunately for them, they ran into the buzzsaw that is Melrose these days. When the wood chips cleared, Melrose emerged with a 25-3, 25-10, and 25-11 thrashing. Winchester was unable to amass enough total points in three games to win one.
Hannah Brickley sent a message early with a block and kill on Mangano on the opening point, and the Lady Raiders never looked back. Melrose expanded a 2-1 lead to 11-1, and 24-2, using a flurry of Colleen Hanscom sets spread throughout the lineup. Melrose had sixteen first game kills, led by seven by Hannah, and three apiece by Laura Irwin and Jill Slabacheski. Melrose had no service errors during the game.
Second game was more of the same, with another thirteen kills, and a 7-0 lead shutting down Winchester as blends of Melrose starters and reserves continued the pressure. Hannah rammed hom another five kills, Laura rained down three, and Siena Mamayek added another pair along with a block. Freshman setter Brooke Bell came off the bench to chime in with four assists and a kill.
Game three saw Winchester take their only lead at 3-2, with Melrose responding with a 13-1 run to keep the Sachems at bay. Melrose had another fourteen kills for a remarkable forty-three kills in the match, including another five for Hannah before she got a well deserved rest and replacement by sophomore Alyssa DiRaffaele.
Match analysis: one respected observer made the point that in these times, the only way to get respect is to be an undefeated team. Winchester arrived with confidence and some puffery, and left with more questions than answers.
Melrose came out with a new warmup routine and much greater energy than against Bishop Fenwick. Colleen Hanscom's contribution often gets lost in the praise of the hitters, but the sets today were clean and precise, allowing the front row to bomb away. The back row hasn't been challenged by heavy hitters, but Jess Farr, Alex Harlow, and Amanda Commito keep returning most everything coming their way. Annemarie Wiesen showed her versatility setting the front row, and the team reduced its service errors to two.
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