Game One: Melrose 3 Bedford 0

Melrose opened the 2012 volleyball season with a 3-0 victory over Bedford at the steamy Veterans Memorial Middle School Gymnasium 25-11, 25-14, and 25-16.

Coach Scott Celli's charges put together a workmanlike effort en route to an opening day win with a lineup including a new libero, Jill MacInnes and a sophomore, Allie Nolan in the back row rotation.

Set 1. Bedford took the opening point and an early 4-2 lead. But the Lady Raiders responded with a diversified attack, with ten first set kills. All-state middle Sarah McGowan collected the first of her four opening set kills, abetted by a pair apiece for Jen Cain and Sydney Doherty, and one for Rachel Johnson. Setter Brooke Bell managed the offense flawlessly as well, as Melrose outscored the Buccaneers 15-2 down the stretch. Unofficially Melrose had one ace and two service errors in the set.

Set 2. As the coaches look to optimize the lineup, junior Annalisa DeBari rotated in at outside hitter. Melrose scored the first ten points on a J-Mac service point run, and led 22-3 at one point, before late set substitutions created some defensive instability and a 25-14 win. Amanda Commito had a long service run.

Melrose had eleven kills, five aces, and no service errors. Sarah had five kills, Brooke Bell three, and Jen Cain another pair.

Set 3. After an even start, tied at five, Melrose went on a fifteen point run to an insurmountable 20-5 lead. Again, late substitutions contributed to some defensive inconsistency, as Bedford climbed back to 20-15. Sarah McGowan and Rachel Johnson returned to the lineup to seal the win, along with three late DeBari kills.

Melrose had three aces, nine kills, and two service errors for the set. Sarah and Annalisa each had three kills, along with one apiece for Brooke, Rachel, and Sydney.

Game analysis: Melrose gave fans a preview of their fundamental platform skills with outstanding passing.  The 2012 team is the best passing team in the past decade of Melrose volleyball. Fortunate to return a pair of all-state players in Brooke Bell and Sarah McGowan, Melrose has another candidate in Jen Cain who excels all-around. The team has plenty of competition for playing time, with a strong debut at libero for Jill MacInnes and at defensive specialist by Allie Nolan.

Melrose hosts always-tough Reading on Friday as the perennial front-runners in the Middlesex League battle for early season supremacy.