Melrose traveled to unbeaten Central Catholic as the distinct underdog, losing a heartbreaker to the third ranked team (Maxpreps.com) in Massachusetts, 3-2.
Central's superb setter, Carolyn Eddy and towering front line (Katie Zenevich, Lindsay Phenix, et al.) proved too much for Melrose, providing valuable experience as the season moves on.
Central raced out to a quick 8-3 game one lead, only to have Melrose strike back with a 9-3 run to assume a 12-11 advantage. Hannah Brickley had a pair of her six first game kills during the run. Central moved ahead 13-12 before Melrose went on another run to lead 16-13. From there, it was a seesaw battle with the game tied at 21 and 22 before Central went up 24-22. From there Hannah and setter Colleen Hanscom took over, with a pair of assists to Hannah from Colleen, and Colleen closing out a 26-24 win with an ace. Melrose had fourteen kills in the game including three from Laura Irwin, but had a costly four service errors.
Game 2 saw a reversal with Central showing off its power game, with an 11-2 run after the game opened with a six all tie. Hannah added another six kills and Laura another pain as the Melrose offense in a 25-12 domination. Central fans, and BC hoop fans, skipped a heartbeat as Katie Zenevich went out with an injury, later returning.
Melrose may have played its best volleyball in Game 3, going ahead 14-6, with a run including 9 kills in twelve points. A diversified offense saw four Hannah kills, three from Siena Mamayek, and a pair apiece for Athena Ziavras and Jill Slabacheski. The back row defense led by outstanding play by Jess Farr more than held its own.
Needing to win game four to stay alive, Central took an early 16-9 lead, with Melrose countering with an eight point run including four Brickley spikes. But Central struck back to score nine of the final ten points to send the game to a decisive fifth stanza. Hannah had five of Melrose's eight kills in the game, and cut the service errors to only one.
Fifth games have not always been kind to Melrose. In 2002, Melrose beat Dracut in a fifth game overtime match, in 2005 Melrose beat Central in the post-season in five, last year Melrose topped North Reading in five, but in 2003, 2004, and 2005 Melrose came out on the short end in fifth games in the state semis against Marlborough, Case, and Medfield (state championship).
Tonight's fifth game was a downer, as Central's powerful offense simply wore out Melrose, as the hosts captured the game 15-4, leading 5-2 and 11-2.
Melrose's valiant defeat at the hands of Central should give them confidence to compete with the other big challenges on the schedule. Today's action also provides valuable experience for the younger players who haven't seen as much action under the bright lights. The key is to use the experience to build for the post-season, where the team fights for the championship. In only one of the three Division II North title seasons was the team undefeated in the regular season, and the tempering contest of the season was a 3-2 victory at Andover over the future Division I state championship runner-ups.
Looking ahead. The Lady Raiders move into the second half of the schedule, with three softer contests ahead of the rematch with THE brand name in Massachusetts volleyball, Barnstable.
The team will continue to develop all aspects of their game, blending experience and youth with the need to develop relentless offense and indomitable back row defense.
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