Scrimmage Observations

Melrose hosted Peabody today at the Veterans Memorial Gymnasium for their first scrimmage. 

First some caveats:

• Don't rush to judgment with a small sample size. 
• Senior Tri-Captain Sadie Jaggers was absent with illness. 
• Coach Scott Celli always investigates multiple combinations during scrimmages. 

Here's a helpful template:

• What went well? 
• What went poorly? 
• What could be done better next time? 
• What were enduring lessons?

Melrose brings a mixture of youth and experience with Manon Marchais (left), Sofia Papatsoris (top), and Leah Fowke. 

The good. After a sluggish start, Melrose's more experienced lineup with Grace Gentile, Maggie Turner, and Gigi Albuja in the back, Marchais and Sabine Wenzel up front, and Fowke setting controlled the action. 

The entire back row looked steady with Gentile already in top form. 

Wenzel dominated at times up front, both blocking and attacking. 

Overall, Melrose's service game was strong and diverse with heat coming from Fowke, Marchais, and Albuja in particular. 

Work in progress. It's early to hand out laurels to the newcomers. Understanding coverages, coordination of play, communication, and consistency of skill take time. "Every day is player development day" and finding depth will take time. 

What will improve? Overall, operations will be smoother, everything from substitution to communication.

Big takeaways. As of today, the biggest strength of the team is back row defense. Expect blocking to become a strength with the return of Jaggers and development of Wenzel. Leah Fowke looked like she grew several inches to the point of perhaps being Melrose's tallest setter ever. 

It will take awhile to define who plays best together as young players enter the system. November teams bear little similarity to late August clubs.