Melrose Volleyball Shots

Images courtesy of Jen Gentile. Click to enlarge.  

Advice from Geno

coach Auriemma, winner of 11 national titles reminds players that yesterday's or last season's success entitles you to nothing today.

Stat Check - Melrose versus Wilmington

Melrose showed a lot of joy on the court and on the bench. When teams sustain that, good things happen. 

Elena Soukos led the hit parade with her customary double digits and sophomore Sadie Jaggers had a career night with nine kills. 

Junior Emma Desmond had a big game with 24 assists and what seemed like dozens of service points. 

Junior Anna Shoemaker showed solid defensive potential in a reserve role with serve receives and a dig. 

Former Melrose star Kayla Wyland has Wakefield moving on up. 

Elena delivers a bomb from the outside. 

Joy. Check out the Rockettes on the bench (top right). Pouting destroys culture but dancing is good. 

More Scores

Woburn takes a five set win over Belmont.

Winchester beats Lexington 3-1. 

Wakefield gets a 3-2 historic win over Burlington. 

Game 8: Melrose 3 Wilmington 0

Melrose (8-0) stayed unblemished with a straight set 25-8, 25-15, 25-13 defeat of the visiting Wilmington Wildcats.

Melrose blended the usual suspects, attack from Elena Soukos and strength up the middle (Chloe Gentile, Autumn Whelan) with a coming out party for sophomore Sadie Jaggers and the relentless outside attack of Gia Vlajkovic.

Setter Emma Desmond added long service runs to keep Wilmington at bay and Ava Burns delivered kills from the opposite to put the cherry on top. 

Melrose went out to a quick start and never looked back in the first set combining attacks from Elena, Sadie, and Gia. 

Wilmington fought back smartly in the second set before Melrose pressure and relentless Soukos attacks and Gentile blocks put them on their heels. 

The third set featured Jaggers pounding the pumpkin in the middle despite being undersized relative to the Wilmington bigs. 

Melrose traveled to D1 powerhouse Newton North on Friday. The attack watchword for the Tigers' program is "intent" as former Coach Richard Barton preached hard hitting first and developing finesse later. 

ML Notes: The "games of the day" in the Middlesex League are Woburn at Belmont and Wakefield at Burlington. Woburn looks to stay atop the Liberty Division and Burlington looks to rebound from their home loss Monday. 

 

Coming Events: Wilmington Home Tonight, At Newton North, Friday

Melrose hosts Wilmington tonight and travels to Newton North Friday. North is in their first season without Richard Barton since forever. 

Home fields have earned nicknames for themselves in the past. Duke has the Cameron Crazies, Cleveland had the Dog Pound, Yankee Stadium was the Bronx Zoo, and San Diego had the Slim Gym (Jenny Craig Pavilion).  

Why not Melrose (Badlands) ? 

Melrose in the top third of the Boston Globe All-sports winning percentages in Dalton Division 3. The latests contests are not included (soccer yesterday)

MIAA Recommends COVID-19 Vaccination for All Massachusetts High School Athletes

The MIAA Board officially recommends COVID-19 vaccination for all Massachusetts high school athletes. 

As a physician with forty years experience, I share that everyone in my immediate family is fully vaccinated and that my wife and I have had the booster (Pfizer, third shot) six months or more after our initial immunization.  

Facts:

1) The mRNA vaccines do not alter your DNA. 

2) mRNA vaccines have been in development and use for over thirty years. 

3) COVID-19 vaccines have reduced cases, hospitalizations, critical illness, and death throughout the world with over 6 BILLION doses administered. 

4) They have not had an adverse effect on either fertility or pregnancy. 

5) Of the last 9,000 deaths in Texas, only 43 occurred in fully vaccinated patients. 

6) The risk of hospitalization for breakthrough cases (vaccinated) is about 3% and the risk for requiring mechanically ventilation (life support) is 0.2% (1 in 500). 

MIAA / Maxpreps.com Division 2 Rankings Updated

Coaches want our teams to reflect our personality and our values. Shared vision and shared sacrifice bring shared achievement. 

Maxpreps updates the official MIAA State Division 2 Rankings, a snapshot after a third of the regular season. 

Program Construction

Another coach referred to Melrose as a legacy program. What key elements build  execution?

• Personnel 
• Strategy 
• Operations

Personnel

• Coaching - "the only shortcut to excellence is mentoring"
• Players - "you can't coach size and it's hard to create athletic explosion"
  
• "Every day is player development day." Build skill. 

Strategy

• "Be good at what you do a lot."
• "Do more of what works and less of what doesn't." (Edit!)
• Emphasize clarity and mature simplicity

Operations

• Top teams play better schedules. Beating weak teams is fool's gold.
• Off-season development is critical to foster competitive players. Unrequired work separates the best
• Constantly focus on adding value and promoting competition

Dartmouth (southeastern Massachusetts) is one of the Maxpreps.com MIAA 2 top 5 ranked teams. Their Maxpreps page shows highlights. They don't have elite size but have excellent team coordination. 

Melrose notes: Melrose hosts Wilmington tomorrow (Wednesday). Wilmington took a set from Woburn recently. 

Game 7: Melrose 3 Burlington 0

Melrose traveled to Burlington and rode an early outburst to a 25-9, 25-20, 25-19 straight set win. The win gives Melrose (7-0) a two-game edge over second place Burlington (6-2 overall). 

Melrose held 11-0 and 16-1 leads in the first set before Burlington regrouped to narrow the gap. 

Burlington held edges (11,7 9-7) in the second and third sets before Melrose struck back to win. 

Elena Soukos led the Melrose attack with 14 kills. 

Lagniappe. Don't sleep on Woburn as the Tanners swept Winchester 3-0 to remain undefeated in the Liberty Division. The Woburn maxpreps.com site provides Woburn highlights against numerous opponents. 

An Exemplary Volleyball Site? Check Out This One

Melrose has developed an alternating season home-and-home volleyball series with Frontier. 

Frontier's site is exemplary. 

Potpourri

Here's the latest Melrose Weekly News story recapping where the volleyball team is. 

The banner needs some updating and "we'll see how it goes." If you're hungry to "put up numbers" add some to the banner. 

Melrose MGVCA All-State Players:

2021 - Emily Hudson

2019 - Emma Randolph

2018 - Nicole Abbott

2017 - Lily Fitzgerald

2016 - Victoria Crovo

2015 - Marissa Cataldo

2014 - Allie Nolan

2013 - Jill Macinnes

2012 - Brooke Bell, Sarah McGowan

2011 - Brooke Bell, Sarah McGowan

2010 - Athena Ziavras

2009 - Hannah Brickley, Colleen Hanscom

2008 - Hannah Brickley

2007 - Hannah Brickley

2005 - Karen Sen, Paula Sen

Big Game Monday at Burlington

Melrose faces its biggest challenge of the young season Monday, traveling to Burlington High School for a 5:30 P.M. match. 

Standings from The Boston Globe. 

Never underestimate the importance of blocking as part of defensive coordination. It takes timing, collaboration, and technique with the outside blocker's hand slightly angled to deflect the ball inward. 

Here sophomore Sadie Jaggers and junior Gia Vlajkovic combine for a solid double block against Wakefield. 

"Boston Globe" Dalton Division 3 Standings

 

Melrose on the cusp of breaking into the top quartile. 

Stats Roundup

Melrose has players among the State leaders in kills/set and assists/set. 

Elena Soukos checks in with just under 4 kills/set. 

Emma Desmond similarly is sixth in assists/set. 

Diversified hitting is a key for Melrose. Chloe Gentile and Gia Vlajkovic both add more than two kills/set. Abby Hudson's had rationed appearances with illness and Sadie Jaggers, Ava Burns, and Anna Shoemaker all add at least one kill/set. 

Why it matters. Competitive teams give away fewer points and generate scoring chances at higher rates. Winners win points with kills and aggression. 

 

Cover Girls

The Boston Globe profiles Melrose and Elena Soukos. If Kevin Youkilis was Billy Beane's "Greek god of hitting," then...you get the point.

Seriously, from an All-around top player in program history (attacking, defense, serving), Elena's in the conversation with Hannah Brickley and only a few others. 

The official MIAA/Maxpreps.com Division 2 rankings determine playoff seeding. Strength of schedule is critical. Melrose gets a chance to climb playing Burlington (#14) Monday. 

Game 6: Melrose. Wakefield

Melrose (5-0) hosted Middlesex League Freedom Division rival Wakefield (4-2) at the MVMMS gym looking to stay undefeated. A straight set 25-11, 25-10, 25-22 win kept them undefeated with six consecutive wins. 

Melrose went full "Beast Mode" in set one with a juggernaut of hitting efficiency combined with strong net defense leading to a commanding 25-11 win. Offense came from all angles led by Elena Soukos with at least a half dozen kills, ably balanced by kills from Chloe Gentile and Sadie Jaggers in the middle and Abby Hudson and Gia Vlajkovic outside.

Superior coordination of play and passing led to a relentless attack.

Set two brought more of the same with aggressive playing forcing Wakefield errors. Melrose had a long run of points from 15-8 to 23-8 to put the set away. Wakefield struggled to handle the crafty serving of Autumn Whelan and Chloe Gentile and Ava Burns contributed solid net play and southpaw service. Melrose finished off the visitors 25-10.

The third set saw improved defense from Wakefield and early inconsistency from Melrose as the visitors streaked to a 7-2 edge. After an early timeout from Coach Celli, Melrose rallied to a 13-11 advantage. Wakefield didn't fold as the score was tied late in the set before Melrose leaned on Elena Soukos for late offense to lead 24-20. Wakefield didn't go quietly but Melrose restored order to win 25-22. 

Melrose Notes: Melrose should feel good about playing two sets of dominant volleyball and Wakefield can take solace in third set resilience. Chloe Gentile had a strong game in the middle as a key facilitator of victory along with Elena Soukos who attacked from everywhere. 

Melrose needs to up its game Monday against ML perennial challenger Burlington. 

 

Opportunity Knocks - Melrose Hosts Wakefield Tonight

Melrose (5-0) hosts neighbor Wakefield (4-2) led by former Melrose star Kayla Wyland in her second season as Wakefield skipper. 

The Maxpreps.com Division 2 rankings define the postseason seeding and venues. The top four clubs play the first three rounds at home. 

 

Cross posting: Championship Effort

What does championship effort mean to you? 

Here are some thoughts...

Melrose Volleyball Update

Melrose's Maxpreps.com rankings will vary with record, margin of victory, and strength of schedule.

Melrose drops two in the latest computer rankings and remains at four in the Division 2 rankings. 

Mass High School Volleyball shares their poll. 

Everyone saw action against Watertown. 

Four players racked up assists versus Watertown. 

Seven Melrose attackers earned kills.

Little Girls Earn Big Dreams

Melrose hosts Wakefield Thursday at 530 at the Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School. 

Little girls have long attended Melrose volleyball games with dreams to be part of something special someday. 

Long time fans recognize Liz Sheerin and the two little girls, Stephanie and Victoria Crovo who had successful volleyball careers at Melrose. Victoria is a first year veterinary medicine student. 

Game 5: Melrose Completes "West Coast" Swing, Tops Watertown 3 - 0

Volleyball: Melrose sweeps Watertown (25-3, 25-13, 25-9)to improve to 5-0 . Next up Wakefield on Thursday .@BostonHeraldHS .@MassGHSVB

— Melrose Weekly Sport (@MelroseWNSports) September 21, 2021

 

The Indifferent Spectator

Focus on facts. In Stoicism, ask how the "indifferent spectator" would judge our actions. 

How can we be more objective?

• Use the stats. "If he's such a good hitter, why doesn't he hit better?" - Billy Beane in Moneyball. "Winners are trackers." - Darren Hardy 
• Measure. In The Politics of Coaching, Carl Pierson measured speed, strength, and jumping ability. If a parent asked why their child didn't make the team, he could say, she was in the bottom ten percent of all athletes tested. 
• Use the Stoic principle of the "Indifferent spectator." What would she say? 
• Watch the film...the Truth Machine. 
• "Invert." What if we did the opposite? 
• Verify the facts. "I heard" is not "I did the research." One study of patients in alcohol rehab showed that when staff was 100% confident patients were not using, half tested positive. 
• Get more eyes. Trusted observers help. 
• Consider a range of possibilities, probability and consequences. Think in bets. 
• Choose the red pill (reality). 

How good is she? 

1. Does she make teammates better? 
2. Is she enjoyable to coach? 
3. Relative to past 'stars' how is her attack, serve, set, serve receive, dig, block? 

Melrose notes. Melrose travels to Watertown for a Freedom Division match today at 530. Today's games from Maxpreps.com 

Melrose - Stoneham Photos

Images courtesy of Jen Gentile. Click to enlarge. 

Middlesex League Standings:

Upcoming games: 

Tuesday (530 PM)  At Watertown

Thursday (530 PM) Home vs Wakefield

Find Joy in Being a Great Teammate

Stories Illuminate the Value of Being a Team Player

Not everyone can become a great player; everyone can become a great teammate.

Long ago our middle school girls lost a game against a team from Tewksbury. One girl stepped forward saying, "We lost because I played terrible." But her teammate Bella went to her and gave her a hug, saying, "we win together and we lose together." Great teammates support each other. 

Teammates bail each other out on the court, too. Bill Russell said that John Havlicek bailed him out on April 15, 1965.

Great teammates have high character. Pumpsie Green broke the color barrier for the Boston Red Sox in 1959. That didn't mean that he was accepted. Many institutions were segregated. Green often couldn't eat in a restaurant with teammates, eating on the bus instead. But a young man himself, Bill Monbouquette, often grabbed a tray and ate with Green, because it was the right thing to do. My wife got that story from Monbo in a beauty salon where he accompanied his wife. 

In Teammates Matter, Alan Williams discusses his walk-on experience at Wake Forest. He makes the team but doesn't get a black-and-gold Wake 'numbered' team bag that all players get. The equipment guy excludes him. But later he finds one in his locker, with the star player's number on it. And when he has to try out for the team again as a junior after a coaching change, his teammates come to support him. 

Great teammates put the team first. Geno Auriemma shares a story about a player who came to UCONN with one thought, scoring. If she didn't have the ball, she wasn't engaged. So game time arrives and he sits her for the first half. At halftime he asks her, how many rebounds did you have? How many assists? How many steals? "Zero, same as you had yesterday at practice." In the second half, she comes out and gets a triple double. She becomes a Final Four MVP.  

Excellent teams share vision, share purpose, and share sacrifice. They attend to details that make each other better. They look out for each other. Remember the African proverb, "I can go faster alone, but we can go farther together." Find joy in being the best teammate possible. 

Lagniappe (something extra). What is our commitment to greatness? "Leave the jersey in a better place" is a central theme for the All-Blacks. 

Lagniappe 2. "Kids inherently want to be good teammates." 

Total Team Effort

Everyone was involved in the Stoneham win. 

Junior Chloe Gentile was dominant in the middle with six hitters racking up kills. 

In addition to steady play from Emma Desmond at setter, Ruth Breen got valuable experience at setter with eight assists.

I haven't seen all the games Sadie Jaggers has played in the middle, but this was the most complete game I've seen her play. 

Autumn Whelan was her usual formidable self at libero. 

Chloe moves into second in team kills behind Elena and you'd consider Gia Vlajkovic on your "volleyball fantasy team" as she picks up points as an outside hitter and an opposite this season. 

The hitting depth allows seamless substitution when players are out with injury or illness. 

Game 4: Harsh Immutable Truth, Melrose 3 Stoneham 0

Melrose played its first Freedom Division game and emerged a straight sets winner - 25-8, 25-11, 25-7. The victory puts Melrose at 4-0 early in the season. 

We hold these truths to be self-evident... talent matters. 

A coach told UCONN's Geno Auriemma, winner of eleven National Championships, "you've never won a National Championship without great players." Auriemma answered, "Tell me the coaches' names who won Championships with bad players."

Senior Abby Hudson sat with a lower body injury, but Melrose is blessed with a stable of accomplished hitters, Elena Soukos, Gia Vlajkovic, and Ava Burns outside and Chloe Gentile and Sadie Jaggers in the middle. And junior Anna Shoemaker shows another attacker with potential. They attack relentlessly. 

Here's a highlight with a signature smash by Elena from the outside. 

YouTube replay via LiveStream:

 

Next Up: Hosting Stoneham Today at 5:30

 

Melrose looks to sustain momentum against neighboring Stoneham with an unusual 5:30 start Saturday home match. 

Saturday's tilt kicks off three matches in the Freedom Division against Stoneham, Watertown, and rising power Wakefield. 

Maxpreps.com offers snapshots of statistical leaders. 

Assist leaders (MA)... Emma Desmond checks is at #3 in Assists/set

Elena Soukos is in the top ten of Kills/set.