Ain't No Mountain High Enough. Melrose 3, Barnstable 0

Perennial state champion. National Coach of the Year. Roster always sprinkled with all-state players. A tradition unmatched in Massachusetts volleyball. The brand name in Massachusetts volleyball. Barnstable. Yet, the Melrose Lady Raiders vanquished the visitors at the Middle School Gymnasium tonight, 25-13, 25-17, and 27-25.

A huge throng came out to see the visitors and their guru, Coach Tom Turco, whose team had won 100 consecutive games in years past. The keys to the game included playing attack volleyball, avoiding unforced errors, and steady back row defense. What Melrose got was premium attack volleyball from Hannah Brickley and Laura Irwin in particular, spectacular defense from Siena Mamayek in her best game ever, and complementary brilliance from Colleen Hanscom setting and near flawless play from the remaining cast.

Melrose Coach Scott Celli remarked that he implored his team to 'start fast' and they did, with two of the first three points coming on Brickley smashes. Melrose went up 5-1, 8-2, 13-3, and 18-5 as Barnstable struggled to get anything going. Game one ended with fourteen Melrose kills, four blocks, and a lone service error. Siena and Laura both had four opening game kills.

The second game started as a seesaw battle, knotted at three and four. Melrose went up 10-7 and Barnstable needed a time out to try to slow the momentum. They pulled within 14-13, and tied the game at fifteen, and with the game 18-17, Melrose ran off the final eight points to close the game. Hannah Brickley was immense, with eight of the fifteen Melrose kills, including two of the final four. She hit around triple blocks, and dinked over them. Colleen's sets crosscourt, to the back row, and for slide attacks keyed the Melrose offense.

If you want to be king, you have to kill the king, and Barnstable wasn't about to go away lightly. Barnstable went out quickly leading 3-0, 5-3, and 10-4 and Melrose needed the time out. Whatever medicine the coaching staff had resulted in a five point run to narrow the gap to one, highlighted by a pair of Siena kills. The visitors extended the lead to 18-14 and 20-15, before Melrose put on a final assault, a four point run to narrow the game to 20-19. Barnstable got the game to 24-22 led by Kaylee Deluga, but Melrose got a key point off an illegal attack (a Barnstable back row player hitting in front of the attack line), and had more crafty play at the net from Siena and Hannah. With Melrose leading 26-25, Laura got her final kill down the line from the strong side.

Game analysis: Melrose prevailed using superior offense with brilliant team offense keeping Barnstable pinned down for much of the game. Barnstable's back row brilliance with Melanie Appleman and Maribeth Martin kept the game as close as it was. Kaylee Deluga showed why she has future player of the year potential up front. But in the end, the setting of Colleen Hanscom and senior experience of Brickley, Irwin, Mamayek, and Jess Farr at libero made the difference. Junior Athena Ziavras and Sophomores Jill Slabacheski and Alyssa DiRaffaele also stepped up in the bright lights. As usual, unsung hero Alex Harlow served consistently and defended well.

For a program still seeking respect, this victory ranks among the finest, the first D2 North win over undefeated AC in 2003, the conquest of D1 Andover at Dunn Gymnasium in 2005, and today's spectacular home victory before a huge crowd.

Melrose played some psychological warfare before the game, substituting "London Bridge", Enya, and "Wheels on the Bus" for the usual high energy anthology. And they backed up their belief in themselves with quality volleyball, the best game seen in the Middle School Gym.