Selectd updated team statistics
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Reset
Roster reset via Maxpreps.com
Sophomore defender and serving specialist Caroline Nolan moves up to varsity. She is the younger sister of senior tri-captain Allie Nolan.
Selectd updated team statistics
Selectd updated team statistics
Game 8: Melrose 3 Wilmington 0
Melrose continued its home stand with an enigmatic 3-0 win over the Wilmington Wildcats, 25-20, 25-16, 25-12. The win extends Melrose's streak to eight and keeps them undefeated.
Nobody plays great every time out, and Monday's action was no exception.
After last Friday's inconsistent win over Stoneham, Melrose came out uncharacteristically slow, falling behind the Cats 3-0, 9-4, and struggled to find a rhythm, trailing 20-16 late in the match. A late surge behind strong serving of Marissa Cataldo propelled Melrose to a finishing nine point run.
Unofficially, four kills from Hannah Mulcahey (a victim of my spelling errors) and three from returning Meri Lessing spelled catnip for the visitors. Melrose overcame three service errors.
The second stanza resembled Major League Baseball, with a lengthy delay related to the officiating interpretation of rotation errors by Melrose. This reversed a opening Melrose 11-2 salvo to 6-3 and did nothing to energize the Lady Raiders. Wilmington managed to even the score at 6 and 9, before Melrose asserted themselves behind a flurry of late kills, finishing with a 12-5 declawing.
Meri Lessing again showed no ill effects of absence, with six kills, abetted by good play by Marissa (two kills), the Crovo sisters (Stephanie and Victoria) with four kills, and excellent setting by Allie Nolan. Meri also excelled at the net. Unofficially Melrose had fourteen winners in the frame.
Unfortunately, unlike in the NFL, there is no official explanation for the rulings or time delay. This is not a criticism of the officiating as much as for the time required for the glacial Goodellian 'get it right'.
Melrose restored order in the final set, leading early, 5-1 and 11-4, and never allowing the Wildcats to get a bite of the hosts. Melrose extended the lead to 18-8 and sprinkled in reserves to close out the win.
Victoria and Stephanie each had three kills, and Marissa had a pair to highlight the action. Ashley Harding served exceptionally well down the stretch, and the overall team play showed more consistency with relentless attack and stout defense.
Nobody plays great every time out, and Monday's action was no exception.
After last Friday's inconsistent win over Stoneham, Melrose came out uncharacteristically slow, falling behind the Cats 3-0, 9-4, and struggled to find a rhythm, trailing 20-16 late in the match. A late surge behind strong serving of Marissa Cataldo propelled Melrose to a finishing nine point run.
Unofficially, four kills from Hannah Mulcahey (a victim of my spelling errors) and three from returning Meri Lessing spelled catnip for the visitors. Melrose overcame three service errors.
The second stanza resembled Major League Baseball, with a lengthy delay related to the officiating interpretation of rotation errors by Melrose. This reversed a opening Melrose 11-2 salvo to 6-3 and did nothing to energize the Lady Raiders. Wilmington managed to even the score at 6 and 9, before Melrose asserted themselves behind a flurry of late kills, finishing with a 12-5 declawing.
Meri Lessing again showed no ill effects of absence, with six kills, abetted by good play by Marissa (two kills), the Crovo sisters (Stephanie and Victoria) with four kills, and excellent setting by Allie Nolan. Meri also excelled at the net. Unofficially Melrose had fourteen winners in the frame.
Unfortunately, unlike in the NFL, there is no official explanation for the rulings or time delay. This is not a criticism of the officiating as much as for the time required for the glacial Goodellian 'get it right'.
Melrose restored order in the final set, leading early, 5-1 and 11-4, and never allowing the Wildcats to get a bite of the hosts. Melrose extended the lead to 18-8 and sprinkled in reserves to close out the win.
Victoria and Stephanie each had three kills, and Marissa had a pair to highlight the action. Ashley Harding served exceptionally well down the stretch, and the overall team play showed more consistency with relentless attack and stout defense.
Monday, September 22, 2014
Globe Rankings Updated
Reminder, today's home match at 4 PM
Saturday, September 20, 2014
Time Change
Monday's game against Wilmington is moved to 4:00 PM.
Arbitrary and capricious? No, it's an important change because three volleyball girls are honored with National Honor Society membership that night. Congratulations.
Arbitrary and capricious? No, it's an important change because three volleyball girls are honored with National Honor Society membership that night. Congratulations.
Necessary Roughness
This page from University of Washington basketball coach Michael Neighbors distills what is necessary to achieve excellence: (click for full image)
"Good artists borrow, great artists steal." - Picasso
"Good artists borrow, great artists steal." - Picasso
The Positive Dog
Melrose sailed through a Middlesex League week with yesterday's three set win. For whatever reason, some matches lack as much energy or intensity, and credit to Coach Celli for energizing and engaging the players throughout the match. Yesterday's action was sloppy and without flow for much of the contest. The 3-0 win over Stoneham doesn't merit a punch-by-punch recap.
The win brings Melrose to 7-0 on the season.
Freshman Lily Fitzgerald impressed with the 'biscuits' she served up to Melrose hitters.
Division 2 Records from Maxpreps.com
With a third of the season over, contemplate the importance of positivity, illustraed by Jon Gordon's "Positive Dog."
The win brings Melrose to 7-0 on the season.
Freshman Lily Fitzgerald impressed with the 'biscuits' she served up to Melrose hitters.
With a third of the season over, contemplate the importance of positivity, illustraed by Jon Gordon's "Positive Dog."
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Game 6: Melrose 3 Wilmington 0
Melrose kept its winning streak alive with a road win at Wilmington.
Standings: "The Usual Suspects"
These are incomplete.
For the most part, Maxpreps rounds up "the usual suspects."
Not sure why Lexington is not included, but they are at least 4-0.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Game 5: Melrose 3 Arlington 0
Melrose* traveled to Arlington looking to maintain momentum coming off its big win over Newton North. Even without Meri Lessing, unavailable with illness, the Lady Raiders pounded their way to a 25-6, 25-12, 25-7 win. The victory extends Melrose's record to 5-0.
The first set saw fourteen Melrose kills as Melrose never trailed, leading 5-1, 8-3, and 18-4 en route to a rout. Hannah Mulcahy hammered home four kills, Allie Nolan and Marissa Cataldo a pair each, and Bella Federico added three.
The Spy Ponders were within hailing distance in set two, trailing 13-10 before a 12-2 Melrose explosion put them away. Unofficially Hannah the Second added five kills.
The final stanza saw more Melrose dynamite offense with a highlight set from Victoria Crovo who fired home five kills. Melrose led 8-0 and 18-3 along the way, cruising to victory. Ashley Harding had a couple of winners.
Game Notes: Melrose had no net calls in all three games, which is a big and important improvement from earlier matches.
*Unofficial stats courtesy of Dick Collis.
Game stats from Maxpreps.com
All healthy players returned and saw action.
Meagan Leyne returned from injury and got her first varsity kill.
Amanda Cain remains among the statistical leaders in digs in Massachusetts.
Freshman Lily Fitzgerald got valuable setting experience in relief of veteran Allie Nolan and chipped in with four assists.
The first set saw fourteen Melrose kills as Melrose never trailed, leading 5-1, 8-3, and 18-4 en route to a rout. Hannah Mulcahy hammered home four kills, Allie Nolan and Marissa Cataldo a pair each, and Bella Federico added three.
The Spy Ponders were within hailing distance in set two, trailing 13-10 before a 12-2 Melrose explosion put them away. Unofficially Hannah the Second added five kills.
The final stanza saw more Melrose dynamite offense with a highlight set from Victoria Crovo who fired home five kills. Melrose led 8-0 and 18-3 along the way, cruising to victory. Ashley Harding had a couple of winners.
Game Notes: Melrose had no net calls in all three games, which is a big and important improvement from earlier matches.
*Unofficial stats courtesy of Dick Collis.
Game stats from Maxpreps.com
All healthy players returned and saw action.
Monday, September 15, 2014
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Melrose - Newton North Photoessay - Bonus Shots
Photos courtesy of Don Norris. Click images to enlarge.
Organizational Advancement
When we implement our 'plan', we can do so on an individual, family, TEAM, corporate, community, national, or even global scale.
But we fail in two ways, either doing without thinking, or thinking without doing.
Ray Dalio of Bridgewater Associates has a manifesto of his corporate principles that works on multiple levels, from the individual, to TEAM, and beyond. Success follows organizational values, plans, and their implementation.
But we fail in two ways, either doing without thinking, or thinking without doing.
Ray Dalio of Bridgewater Associates has a manifesto of his corporate principles that works on multiple levels, from the individual, to TEAM, and beyond. Success follows organizational values, plans, and their implementation.
Coaches implement plans based on what they feel are in the best interests of the TEAM. Those, by necessity will not always be understood or liked by each individual on the TEAM. The needs of the team come before those of the individual. Ideally, communication bridges that gap.
Saturday, September 13, 2014
See Both Sides of the Trade
The approach to investing and sports overlap in large degree. They both rely study, mental toughness, focus, commitment, and process. The process of preparation, planning, practice, feedback, and adjustments belong to both sports and trading. You can only change your personnel (portfolio), strategy, and psychology.
This article discusses investment biases and limitations, but especially the value of humility.
Here are a few relevant excerpts:
Firstly, treat all decisions as experimental rather than formal commitments. This helps avoid theory-induced blindness, where making an initial decision seemingly commits us to a course of action regardless of its consequences. It's a state of mind, rather than a set of rules.
Secondly, be cautious about the extent of your knowledge - securities markets are beset by uncertainty, it is impossible to predict the future and highly risky to gamble on being able to do so...mistrust any expert who offers very precise predictions.
Thirdly, don't react to events immediately, no matter how critical it may seem to do so. In the short-term emotional responses distort our decision making processes and enforcing a delay allows us time to calm down and reconsider
I'm always reminded of a mentor's admonition, "good judgment comes from experience; experience comes from bad judgment."
This article discusses investment biases and limitations, but especially the value of humility.
Here are a few relevant excerpts:
Firstly, treat all decisions as experimental rather than formal commitments. This helps avoid theory-induced blindness, where making an initial decision seemingly commits us to a course of action regardless of its consequences. It's a state of mind, rather than a set of rules.
Secondly, be cautious about the extent of your knowledge - securities markets are beset by uncertainty, it is impossible to predict the future and highly risky to gamble on being able to do so...mistrust any expert who offers very precise predictions.
Thirdly, don't react to events immediately, no matter how critical it may seem to do so. In the short-term emotional responses distort our decision making processes and enforcing a delay allows us time to calm down and reconsider
I'm always reminded of a mentor's admonition, "good judgment comes from experience; experience comes from bad judgment."
Alumnae
A number of Melrose Lady Raiders have continued their volleyball in college. Hannah Brickley had an exceptional athletic career at Trinity and graduated salutatorian summa cum laude in biology.
Kayla Wyland (10) plays opposite at Plymouth State...and yes, she still rolls up those sleeves. That's the easiest way to spot her in the video.
Jen Cain is having a lot of success for Merrimack.
Brooke Bell leads Keene in assists.
Kayla Wyland (10) plays opposite at Plymouth State...and yes, she still rolls up those sleeves. That's the easiest way to spot her in the video.
Stats
"There are three kinds of lies - lies, damned lies, and statistics." - Mark Twain (or Benjamin Disraeli)
Selected Melrose leaders (from Maxpreps.com)
Selected Massachusetts leaders:
Kills
Selected Melrose leaders (from Maxpreps.com)
Selected Massachusetts leaders:
Sorting it Out
With more intersectional play and traditional powers playing each other, the longer-term focus in Division 2 will come into sharp relief.
There isn't much of a Middlesex League sample size to go by, but Melrose, Lexington, Winchester, and Reading were expected to be contenders. Lexington is at 3-0 with a victory over Medford yesterday. Reading is listed at 2-0 as of September 10th in the Boston Globe. Certainly the quality of play is improving throughout the league.
Melrose benefits immensely from its non-league schedule as it faces numerous perennial powers to prepare for post-season challenges.
Undefeated reigning State Champion Notre Dame (Hingham) has defeated Ursuline (a Melrose common opponent) 3-1, and defeated future Melrose opponent Westboro 3-2 yesterday. Melrose travels to NDH on September 26th. Hopkinton handed Medfield its second loss yesterday, Marlboro, winner of multiple titles in Division 2, remains undefeated. Another central division power, Canton, remains undefeated. Last year's finalist in D2, Bishop Fenwick, had heavy losses to graduation and is 2-1 according to Maxpreps.com. Coach Adam DeBaggis always fields a competitive team.
In the west, Longmeadow and Minnechaug are at the top of the heap so far.
Greg Bidgood gives a preview of the Middlesex League with a focus on the Homenewshere.com communities. The Middlesex League partition into large and small, developed as a football convenience, has little meaning for volleyball fans.
His take: "The parity is not the same in the Freedom as Melrose, an historical power, once again will be the team to beat in the division as they are likely the best team in the entire Middlesex League and will contend for a D-2 sectional title and maybe even more."
There isn't much of a Middlesex League sample size to go by, but Melrose, Lexington, Winchester, and Reading were expected to be contenders. Lexington is at 3-0 with a victory over Medford yesterday. Reading is listed at 2-0 as of September 10th in the Boston Globe. Certainly the quality of play is improving throughout the league.
Melrose benefits immensely from its non-league schedule as it faces numerous perennial powers to prepare for post-season challenges.
Undefeated reigning State Champion Notre Dame (Hingham) has defeated Ursuline (a Melrose common opponent) 3-1, and defeated future Melrose opponent Westboro 3-2 yesterday. Melrose travels to NDH on September 26th. Hopkinton handed Medfield its second loss yesterday, Marlboro, winner of multiple titles in Division 2, remains undefeated. Another central division power, Canton, remains undefeated. Last year's finalist in D2, Bishop Fenwick, had heavy losses to graduation and is 2-1 according to Maxpreps.com. Coach Adam DeBaggis always fields a competitive team.
In the west, Longmeadow and Minnechaug are at the top of the heap so far.
Greg Bidgood gives a preview of the Middlesex League with a focus on the Homenewshere.com communities. The Middlesex League partition into large and small, developed as a football convenience, has little meaning for volleyball fans.
His take: "The parity is not the same in the Freedom as Melrose, an historical power, once again will be the team to beat in the division as they are likely the best team in the entire Middlesex League and will contend for a D-2 sectional title and maybe even more."
Friday, September 12, 2014
First Look: Melrose - Newton North Photoessay
Images courtesy of Don Norris. Click to see enlarged/entire frame.
Psssst...
Generations.
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