Melrose opened its Middlesex League schedule with a not-so-pedestrian contest against a senior-laden, battle-tested Winchester squad said to have been pointing for this tilt since last year.
Melrose emerged with a straight set 25-14, 25-21, 25-16 home victory over a Winchester team likely to be among the top four in the Middlesex League.
Melrose never trailed in set one, and put up a 13-3 run from 12-11 to capture the first stanza. Melrose benefited from solid defense from the back line of libero Amanda Cain, defender Kaitlyn MacInnes, setter Allie Nolan, and all-around players Victoria Crovo and Marissa Cataldo. But Melrose's calling card this season is a versatile attack with four big hitters - Meri Lessing and Hannah Mulcahy in the middle, and Crovo and Cataldo from the outside, with sophomore Cat Torpey developing quickly.
Melrose had thirteen first set kills, including four from Hannah Mulcahy, and a pair apiece from Cataldo, Lessing, and Torpey.
The second set was a battle of runs, with Winchester running off six in a row after trailing 5-1, only to see Melrose answer with half a dozen of its own (to lead 11-7) and Winchester then take five straight points. From the tie at 12, it was a seesaw battle with the teams reaching a tie at 21. But Melrose used a Cain service run after a Cataldo winner to close out the set.
Meri Lessing had a trio of kills in the second while the V-Rex, Victoria Crovo added a pair.
The final set was very competitive up to a 12-11 Melrose lead near the mid point. Melrose then pounded away from all angles, delivering thirteen winners, including six kills from Victoria, and a pair from Hannah and Marissa to complete the 25-16 rout.
Game Notes: Winchester appeared much improved overall, but Melrose appeared unusually capable considering both the youth of the season and the point in the season. Melrose carried the action with aggressive play, which is the key to regular season, but especially post-season success. This might be the best 'young' team that Melrose has developed in the past decade.
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