In some cultures, the number '3' is lucky. Melrose (21-1) ousted North Reading in the post-season for the third consecutive season, as Scott Celli's chargers advance to the D2 North finals for the ninth consecutive season with a 25-17, 25-18, 25-18 win at the Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School Gym. It takes three wins to capture the D2 North title and Melrose seeks its third consecutive title.
"The star of the team is the team", as Melrose attacked from all directions and was able to maintain chemistry, communication, and energy for prolonged periods. But North Reading didn't make it easy.
As in the Lincoln-Sudbury win, Melrose's Alyssa DiRaffaele opened the match with an ace. After Melrose garnered a second point, the Hornets went on a 6-1 run to lead 6-3, before a service error started a Melrose run. Amanda Commito was back in form serving, as Melrose went up 8-6. Again the Hornets struck back, taking a 12-10 lead before the Lady Raiders turned the match around. Sydney Doherty hammered home a winner, and Jen Cain and Sarah McGowan went on a killing spree, with three winners apiece, turning a 14-12 deficit into a 20-15 lead. More Cain, McGowan, and Doherty put the Hornets down.
North Reading didn't plan to go easily, taking a 3-1 lead in the second stanza. But a J-Mac (Jill MacInnes) service run got Melrose to 7-3. Both of the youthful defenders, Amanda Commito and J-Mac looked much more comfortable in their second playoff appearance. North Reading was able to fight back to within a point at 10-9 and 17-16, but more DiRaffaele service magic, undeterred by Hornet timeouts gave Melrose an 8-2 finishing flourish.
Unofficially, Sarah had four kills, Jen three, and Sydney added another.
Melrose couldn't stand prosperity in the third, trailing 5-2 and 6-3 before another service error hurt North Reading. The Lady Raiders went up 7-6 before the Hornets swarmed to a 10-7 lead. A Melrose timeout refocused the energy and Sydney came up with a pair of critical kills at points 9 and 10 as Melrose leveled the set at twelve. Melrose then sniffed the finish line, going on an 8-2 run led by three kills by Sarah and a pair of authoritative finishes for Jill Slabacheski got Melrose to 20-14. North Reading never got closer than five and Doherty finished a winner at 24-18, although the Hornets got called for a net violation.
Game analysis. North Reading has shown a capacity to raise their game in the post-season and tonight was no exception. For Melrose, the coaching staff expects the "high profile" players, All-Staters Brooke and Sarah, and Middlesex League co-MVP Alyssa to shine. Yet the key to the victory was Jen Cain stepping up with double digit kills, and a very solid substitute role offensively and defensively in the middle by Sydney Doherty and steady play on the outside by Jill Slabacheski. Also, the back row was back in form as they became accustomed to the playoff intensity.
We look forward to going to the sectional finals in Lawrence's new facility that we've heard great reports about. If the Boston Globe scoreboard is correct, their opponent will be Bishop Fenwick.
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