The Melrose Lady Raiders clinched at least a tie for the Middlesex League volleyball title, stopping Stoneham 25-12, 25-9, 25-15. Melrose moves to 15-1 with the win and clinches at least a tie for the Middlesex League title.
The reality of Massachusetts volleyball is "relativity". Each season a handful of stronger teams compete for the brass ring, and a broad majority of mediocre and weak teams provide sustenance to the higher ups on the athletic food chain.
The action today was sloppy and inconsistent, manifested by several campfires (volleyball parlance for falling balls) and ten service errors. In other words, as so often happens in sports, from Little League to professional sports, the superior team played to the level of its competition. It was no different in previous sectional championship seasons, and will happen again.
Melrose went out slowly in set one, and allowed Stoneham back in for ties at 4 and 5. Melrose then went on a 8-2 run to create breathing room. Melrose had only six kills and four service errors reflected the action.
Set two showed slightly better action, after a Stoneham 3-0 lead. Melrose then went on an 11-2 rampage including a pair of kills by Hannah Brickley and Athena Ziavras en route to the rout. Setter Colleen Hanscom did double duty, leading in both assists and kills (3) for the game.
Set three was reminiscent of the first, with ties at 4, 6, 7, and 8, before Melrose restored order with a five point run. No new sheriff was coming to the Middle School Gym. The lead blossomed to 17-9, and the reserves closed out the suspenseless action.
Game analysis: Melrose's talent superiority, even playing well below their best, simply overwhelmed second division opposition. Even the intense, historically loud Coach Viselli seemed calm during the rout. If any players deserved special mention for their performance today, I would single out Jess Farr and Colleen Hanscom.
The Big Picture. According to reliable sources, one of Melrose's biggest obstacles, Medfield, won their "Open Date" tournament last weekend. The Warriors defeated fellow Central Mass rival Westborough 2-1 to claim the trophy. I was told that Barnstable was 3-3 in the tournament, that featured some of Massachusett's best teams.
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