"One Soul"

 

"One team, one goal."

Hat tip: Niko Soukos 

Correction: Win Count at 32

Correction! 

During the Fall 2 (spring 2001) season Melrose went 12-1.

Thus far they are now 20-2 so the win count is at 32, which presumably cannot be eclipsed.

This is not the only Melrose volleyball record that can't fall. In 2003, Marianne Foley had 28 consecutive service points at Hamilton-Wenham (30 point scoring). 

Bracketology: so far it's mostly "chalk". The top six seeds are alive and Westborough (1) faces Nashoba (16) tonight. 

The Middlesex League has the "Woolworth's" seeds alive (5 and 10). Woburn is the lowest remaining seed among the Final Eight (pending the Westborough-Nashoba contest).

Bracket Notes:
1. Westborough
2. King Philip Regional High School
3. Hopkinton High School
4. Billerica Memorial High School
5. Melrose High School
6. Westwood High School
7. Oliver Ames High School
8. Dartmouth High School
9. Canton High School
10. Woburn Memorial High School

Take Nothing for Granted

Melrose players and fans celebrate advancing to the Elite 8, notching yet another 20 win season, and the 31st win of calendar year 2021. 

Hat tip: Niko Soukos. (I suspect photo attribution to Raj Das...) 

Candor

The volleyball blog is not an official opinion of the City of Melrose, the School Department, the Athletic Department, or any other Melrose organization. All opinions are mine.

I've never seen, coached, or played in a perfect game. It's always better to win imperfectly than lose "moral victories." Do enough "right things at the right time" and you often come up victorious. Process determines destiny. 

Kevin Eastman writes in "Why the Best Are the Best" that the Celtics allowed 32 points to the Lakers from defensive mistakes and errors in a Finals game and won. Everyone makes imperfect plays.

I'm not here to hand out grades but to share the joy and the occasional sadness. As I texted someone today, "have you ever given up a pair of grand slams to the same player in one game?" At least I made that guy happy...

Sports helps write our narrative. Coaches take teams where they cannot go alone. Especially in the playoffs, where the opportunities are greater, we celebrate rising to meet new challenges. 

Enjoy the journey. 

 

Box Score

Melrose got contributions from everywhere in its win over stubborn North Quincy. 

Coming in, Melrose clocked in at #5 on the Maxpreps.com rankings. 

North Quincy, though not tall, did a good job of taking away the short game. 

Gia Vlajkovic piled up 29 assists. 

Three Melrose defenders, led by Autumn Whelan had double digit serve receives again hard hitting North Quincy servers. 

Milestone Victory for Coach Scott Celli

 

Reliable sources share that tonight's win was a milestone for Coach Scott Celli. Congratulations! 

Playoffs Sweet 16: Melrose 3 North Quincy 0

Melrose (20-2) Ousted #21 seeded North Quincy, 25-17, 25-21, and 25-17 in a defensive struggle. The visitors brought an exceptional defense but Melrose had too many guns and prevailed. Fifth-seeded Melrose travels to #4 Billerica Thursday for a six-o'clock showdown. 

 

Sadie Jaggers (10) got off to a fast start with a block. 

 

Abby Hudson finds a rare hole in the North Quincy defense.

North Quincy came out strong in the second period with exceptional defense including the "pancake dig" in this rally. 

 

With Melrose trailing 5-2 in the second, Sadie came up with another key block. 

 

With the score 23-21, Melrose finds All-State hitter Elena Soukos for the big winner. 

 

Melrose controlled the third set and Melrose moves on to the Elite 8.

Game Analysis: It was the potent Melrose offense against a stubborn North Quincy defense. Melrose didn't get as much offense from quick sets as usual and North Quincy made Melrose win points elsewhere. 

A stout performance from Autumn Whelan, Ava McSorley, and Emma Desmond in the back was another key to victory. 

Melrose's defensive plays of the game came on a losing point (below). 

 

d-time and loop don't work, due to YouTube limitations.

The Foundation of Mental Toughness

Learn across disciplines. Canadian basketball coach Dave Smart shares his insights as a championship coach. 

Latest Maxpreps Ratings

 

Drama Queens - You Have the Long Tradition of Melrose Volleyball with You

Note: Tickets are available both online and at the door for tonight's 6 PM match. 

Melrose faces a big challenge tonight in the second round of the All-State playoffs. But Melrose has overcome adversity before. 

Here are some examples from the past. For context, some came before all of the current players were born... 

In the State Championship game of 2005, Melrose rallied from 16-23 and 21-24 to win the third set. Jen Cohane (in retrospect) sustained a concussion during that rally. Adversity is your companion. 

Study former players like Sarah McGowan to see the versatility of their craft. 

Have something extra in your tank... 

Lagniappe (something extra). "Do or do not." 

Lagniappe 2. They say the cost of an Olympic gold medal in figure skating is 20,000 falls. In sport, you will always fall. But champions get back up.

 

Melrose Hosts North Quincy for a Trip to the Elite Eight

Melrose seeks a trip to the quarterfinals, hosting North Quincy tonight at 6 PM. The winner earns a match at Billerica on the eleventh at 6 PM as Billerica topped Wakefield 25-22, 25-18, and 25-13. 

Tickets must be purchased at GoFan

Star Struck - MAVCA Names Elena Soukos to All-State Team

Elena Soukos becomes the latest Melrose volleyballer to earn Division 2 All-State recognition from the Massachusetts Volleyball Coaches Association.

Elena led Melrose to a Freedom Division title and a ML best 15-1 record and was named Freedom Division MVP.  

Also named from the ML in Division 2 were Sophia Furxhi of Woburn and Abigail Farrell of Reading.  

(Dan Pawlowski photo) 

 

Thirty and Counting

Melrose Volleyball 2021 has no comparable season during a global pandemic. 

The "Fall 2" season saw Melrose go 11-1 en route to a Freedom Division title. The 2021 season stands at 19-2 with another Freedom Division championship. 

The 2021 edition has won thirty season and postseason games in a calendar year which eclipses any Melrose High team before or after. 

But there's continuity because the program refreshes with youthful experience. This team has four vital seniors - Elena Soukos, Autumn Whelan, Abby Hudson, and Ava Burns. But it also has underclassmen playing at a high level - juniors Chloe Gentile, Gia Vlajkovic, Ava McSorley, Emma Desmond, and sophomores Sadie Jaggers and Grace Gentile. 

"Do more to become more; become more to do more." Know your job and work to improve and you can expand your role. 

Perhaps anomaly, but the Western Massachusetts teams are all eliminated as we start the Division 2 Round of 16.  

An Alfred Hitchcock Moment

For classic film fans, this photograph illustrates an "Alfred Hitchcock" moment. 

 

Karch Kiraly Interview on Volleyball and Coaching

Hat tip: Nik Soukos

Interview with Olympic multiple Gold Medalist and Gold Medal Coach Karch Kiraly

• Authenticity
• Balance
• Focus on this play

How could I focus (as a player) on making the team (USA) better and win a medal? 

The exceptional player who becomes an exceptional coach is the exception not the rule. 

From Sandman to Springsteen

Many are unaware that Coach Scott Celli has been to about twenty Bruce Springsteen concerts. Which sometimes gets Bruce some airtime on the blog. 

Melrose's win last night advanced them to the round of sixteen in the All-State tournament against North Quincy (15-5) from the Patriot League. 

Stat Lines:

Elena Soukos officially had 17 kills. Perhaps the most spectacular kill came on a backset from Chloe Gentile. 

Middlesex League entries: The top ML teams in Division 1 (Winchester and Arlington) survived and advanced.

The four top ML teams in Division 2 (Melrose, Woburn, Burlington, and Wakefield) likewise advanced. I am not in the prediction business. 

Unsung Hero Award: Coach Ryan Schmitt for scouting Chelsea at Amherst. 

Postgame Interviews

 High school sports news

State Tournament: Round of 32 Melrose 3 Amherst-Pelham 0

Melrose parlayed a week of rest and focused practice into a convincing 25-8, 25-5, 25-13 win over visiting Amherst-Pelham. The win puts Melrose (19-2) into the Sweet 16 where they host North Quincy Tuesday night at 6 PM. 

Melrose roared out to 8-0 and 12-0 leads in the first two sets of their first match of the new All-State Tournament. Amherst (17-5) had the disadvantage of a long bus ride from western Massachusetts. 

Everyone played well. It's hard not to single out Elena Soukos who delivered (unofficially) sixteen kills, dominance at the net from junior Chloe Gentile and sophomore Sadie Jaggers, great service from seniors Abby Hudson and Ava Burns, and quality setting from junior Gia Vlajkovic.  

Melrose's offensive dominance gave the defense a relative breather, although the back row combinations of Autumn Whelan, Ava McSorley, Emma Desmond, and Grace Gentile all played their role. 

YouTube video from MHS-TV

Bracketology:

Four Middlesex League teams (Melrose, Woburn, Burlington, and Wakefield) advance to the Sweet 16. 

Melrose Weekly Outlook

 Post from Melrose Weekly 

Bracketology. It's On.

It's on. Tonight at 5 P.M. You never get a second chance to leave a first impression.