It's unfair to call a victory pedestrian amidst the heat and humidity. Belmont returned optimistic after a 16-6 season in 2014. Melrose debuted a new offense, brings youthful experience, and features a plethora of hitters both inside and outside. Any observer would require a much bigger sample size to project the season.
Wherever possible, a more 'macro' view of the match will follow. First, one can analyze the core 'paired skills' of volleyball - serve/serve receive, hitting/blocking, digging/passing (including setting). The opponent and game flow dictate what skills dominate. Tonight, Melrose served aggressively, winning points not only on aces but a host of 'free balls' converted into attacks.
The lions' share of attacks came from co-captains senior Marissa Cataldo and Victoria Crovo, and senior Hannah Mulcahey. The third senior, Meagan Leyne also presents a formidable offensive threat at the net. Setters Lily Fitzgerald and Emily DiPietro showed a lot of consistency setting the outside, middle, and back row. Cat Torpey and Saoirse Connolly chipped in from the opposite.
A host of Melrose servers racked up points for Melrose. Lily, Lydia Lombardo, and Meagan all looked strong on the service line.
The defense wasn't heavily challenged but K-Mac (Kaitlyn MacInnes) was solid at libero, Katie Donovan earned her first varsity start as a defensive specialist, and Victoria and Marissa added value in the back row.
Juniors Bella Federico and Julia Symonds saw action in the middle, and sophomores Jill Mercer, Lydia Lombardo, and Daniela Cataldo showed poise and potential.
Melrose Notes: Melrose hosts Arlington Friday. Sources say that in addition to a revamped offense, Melrose has ramped up conditioning at practice. At least for today, Melrose adopted the 'standing' bench posture. This can occasionally result in a more playable surface along the sidelines.
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