Melrose continued its opening season homestand with a 3-0 thrashing of the Burlington Red Devils, 25-7, 25-9, 25-7. The victory brings Melrose to 2-0, with a pair of challenges ahead, at Bishop Fenwick on Wednesday and at archrival Reading Friday.
Coach Scott Celli shortened his rotation today in preparation to step up the competition.
Melrose got off to a sluggish very early start with some tentative play, trailing 1-2, but quickly stepped on the accelerator to reverse to a 7-2 lead, behind some Brooke Bell service and eight first game kills. The Lady Raiders spread it around with a pair apiece from Captains Athena Ziavras, Jill Slabacheski, and Alyssa DiRaffaele. From 8-5, Melrose went on an twelve point run to cool the devils.
Game two saw Melrose come out fast and play with more consistency, turning a 6-5 lead into a 19-4 finish. Melrose had 13 kills in the frame, including four from sophomore middle Rachel Johnson, three from Jill, and a pair each from Brooke and Athena. Melrose completed the game without a service error.
The final game showcased superior service from Jill, who had five aces in the game, as Melrose raced out to a 13-nil advantage. Burlington fought back to 15-5, but Melrose went on a 10-2 spree, as Melrose never drank the Devil's Kool-Aid. Melrose had only six kills in the stanza because of their nine aces, but Athena had a trio of kills and an ace. Sarah McGowan did some good work in the back row and contributed a pair of aces. Rachael Wolley came off the bench to set well, and freshman Cassidy Barbaro brought the jump serve out of hibernation.
Game Analysis: Melrose appeared more comfortable today, with overall effective play from both the front and the back row. Brooke continues to set 'effortlessly' and Alyssa and Rachel dominated at the net, winning joust after joust. The biggest difference today was the service, with extensive runs by Jill, Athena, and Alyssa as each brought the heat and a variety of service styles.
The present links our here and now to the past and the future. I recall seeing a middle school girl watching volleyball attentively and imagining her chance on the hardwood. That youngster, Hannah Brickley, became the most celebrated volleyballer in Melrose history.
Last season Melrose took a big step forward with a memorable win over the volleyball sports dynasty.
And why not go to a volleyball game soon, because you never know what you might see.
You might not see "doggles", but you'll see some terrific digs, blocks, and spikes.
Even the players are amazed by what they see.
__________________________________________
Parents are generally pleased.
____________________________
You'll definitely see battles at the net.
___________________________________________
And blocks...
_____________________________
And for the mathematically inclined...you'll see Fibonacci numbers, like 8 (Jill)
________________________
And 13 (Sarah)...
So come out and support your team. As Yogi would say, "you can see a lot by just watching."
Sarah loads one up.
_______________________________________________________
Rachael is the picture of concentration.
________________________________________________________
It's a lot easier to be a volleyball parent AFTER your children have finished their careers.
_________________________________________________
Maggie styling with the scarlet and white headband
_________________________________________________________
Jill and Alyssa spend a lot of time on the volleyball (and basketball) court together. The success of the basketball and volleyball teams work together as the student-athletes get regular chances to play under the bright lights.
If one word sums up the core of Melrose volleyball, that word would be FUN. The coaches make practice enjoyable and the players respond by playing hard all the time.
Who's the architect? Yeah, you.
___________________________________
And the young lionesses will ROAR...Maggie Moriarty on the left and Sarah McGowan celebrate.
_______________________________
Jill Slabacheski models the new long-sleeve uniforms...kinda looks rolled up...
_______________________________________
Amanda Commito is chomping at the bit waiting to get clearance to practice.
_____________________________
Outside hitter Sidney Doherty gets ready for a return.
_________________________
Jen Cain started at the opposite position on opening day.
_______________________________________________
The defense never rests. Here you seen Rachel Johnson (foreground), Athena Ziavras, and Jen preparing for serve-receive. I think the defense will improve as they get used to the new sleeves.
_______________________________________________
Maggie Moriarty will compete for time as a defensive specialist. Literary buffs might consider another moniker.
The team will be back in action Monday against Burlington.
Melrose will be back in action at HOME Monday as they entertain Burlington. Burlington-Melrose games haven't produced a lot of highlights, perhaps excepting a couple of surprising blocks in the 2005 year when Melrose girls blocked Burlington BOYS who were playing on their first team.
Actually, for the most part, the defensive coverage against Belmont was good. Considering it was the first game, the passing received a 'passing' grade. Serve receive improved after a slow start, and blocking was hard to assess given Belmont's limited hitting opportunities. One area for improvement was clearly service errors, with a peak at five in the second game. "Experience is the best teacher, but sometimes the tuition is high."
Scott Celli had to be pleased with Brooke Bell's 22 assist performance, although Lefty doesn't appear thrilled here.
Jill Slabachesky had her 'A' game yesterday.
________________________________________________
Freshman defensive specialist Cassidy Barbaro is a key contributor in the back row. With a little luck and a lot of skill , maybe in four years she'll eclipse the current record for most playoff game appearances, 15.
A new season, new uniforms, and a lot of new players, but the results haven't changed. Melrose performed a workman-like performance against an overmatched Belmont squad, coming away with a 3-0 victory.
Maggie Moriarty (9) prepares a toss during pre-game warmups. Note the long-sleeved jerseys.
Coach Scott Celli sent out a lineup of Athena Ziavras, Jill Slabacheski, Alyssa DiRaffaele, Brooke Bell, Jen Cain, and Rachel Johnson as his initial rotation.
Defensive specialist Amanda Commito opens the season on the DL, along with outside hitter Brittany Adelman.
Belmont got out to an early 3-0 lead as a couple of mis-hit balls (possibly related to new uniform adjustment) got the Lady Raiders off to an early deficit. But they quickly restored order, with Rachel Johnson breaking out the inaugural kill of the 2010 campaign.
After a slow start, game tied at 6, Melrose ran off an eleven point run to put the game out of reach. For the game, Melrose pounded out (unofficially) 13 kills, and only one service error, winning the opener 25-11. Athena Ziavras had 5 kills and Rachel Johnson 3 to set the pace. Sophomore Sarah McGowan and freshman Cassidy Barbaro both made their varsity debuts in the game.
Game two saw Melrose jump out early with 4-0, 9-1, and 14-2 as they put the hammer down. Athena added another 4 kills, while Jill Slabacheski provided a pair and excellent overall defense. For the game, Melrose had another dozen kills, but unfortunately 5 service errors in the 25-9 rout. Rachael Wolley, Sidney Doherty, and Maggie Moriarty also debuted on the varsity maple.
The third game saw a lot of lineup transitions and some inconsistency in the steamy Middle School gym. Jill had five kills while playing great overall volleyball throughout. Melrose led 10-8 but was never threatened, running off seven consecutive points to sink the Jolly Roger. Sarah McGowan looked particularly strong in the third game, which Melrose captured 25-13.
Game analysis: Both teams can draw a pass for some opening game butterflies, but I believe that the inability to practice in the new long-sleeved uniforms (which arrived last night) was a factor. As the players adjusted, the passing game improved. Athena and Jill both showed solid all-around games, and Jill and Alyssa passed particularly well. Brooke Bell stepped in as the floor general without skipping a beat, as Lefty moved 'effortlessly' while setting the front. And, as expected, sophomore Rachel Johnson showed instinctive blocking skills to clog up the middle. Melrose will rely on her to be the kryptonite for the opposition's middle attack.
Numerous spectators commented on the team's athleticism and quickness to the ball, which will be the team's calling card.
Coaches Celli and Walsh and the team were hard at work on coverages today, as well as working on situational volleyball.
A new season beckons, from A to Z. Speaking of A to Z, Melrose has one senior, Athena Ziavras.
And yes, there's another change in the schedule, as Monday's game will be a home contest instead of a road tilt. Coach Celli had to drop participation in the Holyoke volleyball tournament as some of the players had other academic commitments.
So, tomorrow at four o'clock, the ball goes up on the 2010 season. And here are ten of the top reasons to watch this years team.
10 Youth will be served. More than half the roster is composed of sophomores and freshmen.
9 The team has new uniforms, revealed tomorrow. What will they look like?
8 This team looks to be the most 'athletic' Melrose volleyball team, top to bottom, ever.
7 The season has an attractive non-league schedule, including Northern power Central Catholic and Southern elite, Canton...
6 Find out who replaces the 550 kills from Hannah Brickley, Laura Irwin, and Siena Mamayek.
5 Combination special. Watch the young team develop with depth at all positions.
4 Block off the old 'chip'. The Lady Raiders have some veterans at the net (Jill Slabacheski, Alyssa DiRaffaele) but they've got some "new kids on the block", especially Rachel Johnson, Sarah McGowan, and Jen Cain who have 'ups'. Expect the "Roof" cheer...often.
3 "Do the math." Melrose has superior coaching.
And, they never age.
2 Full tilt, full time. These athletes play hard every play, every day, to the whistle.
1 Taking care of business. Excellent process will result in outstanding performance.
This is the latest/updated Melrose volleyball schedule. More than anything else, it reminds us of how brief the regular season is, over in less than two months.
Always click the photographs to get the FULL picture.
History doesn't repeat itself, but it rhymes. 2003 brought Melrose to volleyball prominence in Massachusetts with a 22-2 season culminating in a 3-0 Division 2 North Championship over an undefeated Arlington Catholic team that had not lost a game that season. The team graduated its senior core, All-Scholastic Marianne Foley, terrific middle hitter Erin Hudd, a great setter in Amanda Labella, and another athletic hitter Denise Applegate.
Expectations came in uncertain for 2004, with a young team led by back row defenders Kerry Dillon and Betty Krechmer. But the young team stepped up, and over the next two seasons won a pair of championships, went 64-5 and advanced to a state final.
I see 2010 as being very similar to 2004. This year's club is very young, with 7 of the 13 players being sophomores or freshmen, but very talented from top to bottom.
Don Norris has generously provided some photographs. I publish them as I get them.
The lone senior on the team, Athena Ziavras had over 100 kills last season and should help replace the over 450 kills that Hannah Brickley and Laura Irwin delivered in 2009. Athena has a versatile repertoire of offensive skills that fans will quickly appreciate.
_____________________
Jill Slabacheski has worked hard on her hitting to become a dominant offensive player. She has the skills needed to be one of the top players in the Middlesex League.
_______________________________
Alyssa DiRaffaele is another returning player who made an enormous contribution in 2009. Alyssa's strong performance in the Division 2 North Championship contest allowed Melrose to garner its fourth sectional title in seven years. Toughness at the net is her calling card, but she has very solid back row defense as well.
______________________________________________________________
Sophomore Brooke Bell steps in at setter this season, replacing All-State performer Colleen Hanscom. Brooke has literally worked toward this for more than the past three years. I wouldn't be surprised to see her eventually eclipse Colleen's assist record. Every team needs a lefty, and that's Brooke.
________________________________
Sophomore Rachel Johnson emerges with great potential as a "natural blocker". Melrose has always relied on the middle blocker to help control the opposition's big gun, and Rachel has the best blocking skills for her level of experience that I have seen in the Melrose program.
_____________________________________________
Sophomore Sarah McGowan is a powerful, athletic player with the skill set to play any of the front positions (middle, outside, opposite) and is a capable back row player. In a sense, she's the "Swiss Army Knife" of this year's team, reminiscent of Gina Ciccone. She will likely see time at all of the above positions.
_________________________________________
Jen Cain is another athlete with versatile skills and good overall consistency. She will compete for time at the opposite position in particular, and be in the mix for time in the back row.
_____________________________
Sophomore Amanda Commito starts the season on the injury list, recovering from a basketball injury. Amanda is another talented, fiery defender who could be a libero when recovered.
___________________________________
Rachael Wolley has the key role as the reserve setter. The setter touches the ball on virtually every play, and Rachael has good skills and consistency. Fans may not know, but with teams scrimmaging practically daily, the importance of the second setter can't go unnoticed.
__________________________________
Cassidy Barbaro breaks through as the first (but definitely not the last) of the talented Class of 2014 to reach the varsity. Cassidy has terrific quickness, good passing skills, and serves very well. She will compete for time as a regular as a defensive specialist and spot server.
___________________
Melrose has a lot of depth this season. Junior Brittany Adelman (far right, wearing the shoulder splint) starts the season injured. She played outside hitter last season. Next to her, Maggie Moriarty will also look for time as a defensive specialist. Maggie has a sister (freshman Maeve) on the Junior Varsity as the tradition of having 'volleyball families' continues. Sophomore Sydney Doherty (player second from left) is another versatile athlete who will look for time as an outside hitter.
So, although graduation produced losses, those losses produce this year's gain, an athletically gifted group that will compete at a very high level from the outset. Fans should anticipate excellent volleyball from this group despite its youth. The first match is Wednesday at 4 P.M. in the Middle School Gymnasium.
How do you build a successful high school sports program? Can you build from the bottom up, or does it come from the top down? Usually, a high school baseball coach doesn't run the Little League, but introducing young athletes to volleyball becomes a necessity if you want to compete against the best teams in the state.
Coaching. Melrose is fortunate to have a stable coaching staff, with the reigning Coach of the Year in Scott Celli, with a 257-63 career record, and including playoffs, usually a 20 win season each year. With Assistant coach Steve Wall and freshman coach Andrea Basteri, the coaches make volleyball not only successful but fun, and most of the players view it as their favorite sport. Coach Celli has also developed a volleyball infrastructure with summer camp instruction, so that youngsters in elementary school get an introduction to the sport early. I believe that over thirty girls were playing in offseason leagues, so the girls are up and running at full speed early, and competition to make the team has never been greater.
Players. The extensive offseason preparation gets players ready for varsity competition earlier than ever before. We can expect to see freshmen contributing early each year, just as Hannah Brickley did in 2006, Amanda Commito in 2009, and Cassidy Barbaro will in 2010. Hollywood gets it wrong. Girls sports are replete with ATHLETES, players with terrific hand-eye coordination, strength, quickness, speed, and toughness. They work to become not only skilled but highly conditioned. To quote Madeline Blais' award-winning book, "In These Girls, Hope is a Muscle."
Community. Volleyball has developed a big following locally, with enthusiastic crowds at most games. The sport gets support via Community Television (MMTV), the print media, and the Internet. Both the Melrose Free Press and the Melrose Weekly provide excellent coverage, and Maxpreps.com is also another valuable resource.
Women's athletics provides a big payoff to the community, with a cadre of leaders and role models, and health and academic benefits to the players.
Here's an excerpt from the Women's Sports Foundation:
High school girls who play sports are less likely to be involved in an unintended pregnancy; more likely to get better grades in school and more likely to graduate than girls who do not play sports.
As little as four hours of exercise a week may reduce a teenage girl's risk of breast cancer by up to 60%; breast cancer is a disease that afflicts one out of every eight American women. (Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 1994)
Forty percent of women over the age of 50 suffers from osteoporosis (brittle bones). (Osteoporosis, 1996) None of us should want our daughters to repeat the experiences of generations of women—our mothers and grandmothers—who were not permitted to play sports or encouraged to participate in weight-bearing exercises that are necessary to establishing bone mass.
Girls and women who play sports have higher levels of confidence and self-esteem and lower levels of depression.
Girls and women who play sports have a more positive body image and experience higher states of psychological well-being than girls and women who do not play sports.
Sport is where boys have traditionally learned about teamwork, goal-setting, the pursuit of excellence in performance and other achievement-oriented behaviors—critical skills necessary for success in the workplace. In an economic environment where the quality of our children's lives will be dependent on two-income families, our daughters cannot be less prepared for the highly competitive workplace than our sons. It is no accident that 80% of the female executives at Fortune 500 companies identified themselves as former "tomboys"—having played sports.
Most important, women follow sports into the competitive workplace. "I will" equals "I can."
Melrose hosted Chelmsford today in the roaster, toasty Middle School Gym this afternoon. Chelmsford, from the Division I Merrimack Valley Conference brought good size and aggressive offense that tested the Lady Raiders. By the end of the contest, fans could easily have mistaken the players for the swim team.
The team has progressed very well in the early season, appearing solid in many areas.
Service errors have been few and far between.
The setting from both Brooke Bell and Rachael Wolley has not disappointed.
Hitters Athena Ziavras, Jill Slabacheski, and Alyssa DiRaffaele have all demonstrated the ability to get "on top of the ball", allowing for a diversified offense.
Sarah McGowan and Jen Cain have a great competition going for the opposite spot.
Sophomore Rachel Johnson has shown promise as an impact blocker on the front line...
The remainder of the team has exhibited skill, athleticism, and poise
With absolutely no disrespect to other Middlesex League teams, I think that every player on the team this year would start on most ML teams. Having watched the team for the past nine seasons, I have no doubt that this is the deepest team from players 5-13 in the history of Melrose volleyball.
The role of 'reserve' players can't go unmentioned. During the 24-1 2005 season, Melrose traveled to Andover (Division I State runner-up to powerful Barnstable) to face the Warriors. During the closely contested match, setter Amanda Hallett broke a shoelace (always bring a spare pair) and had to leave the contest. Taylor Pearson came off the bench cold, and Melrose won 6 of the 7 points she played, until Amanda subbed in. Melrose won the match 3-2 before a huge crowd, in what I consider the second greatest regular season win for the program after last season's defeat of Barnstable.
Tomorrow Melrose travels to Medway for the annual play day round robin scrimmage.
Melrose traveled to Newton North and faced off against the Tigers in the first official athletic contest held in the new gymnasium. Both teams gained valuable varsity experience playing solid competition. I found the lighting conditions distracting watching the video, but I haven't heard the players' opinions.
Pictures courtesy of Jeff Mate' video.
Melrose does their pre-game ritual huddle. Note the T-shirts with the "Do the Math" lettering. Nice touch.
____________
Alyssa DiRaffaele goes up for the spike.
________________________
Athena Ziavras attacks from the outside.
________________
Jill Slabacheski prepares to serve.
______________________
Sophomore 'Middle' Rachel Johnson follows through on the arm swing middle attack for a kill.
Coach Scott Celli will analyze the game video, searching for both personnel groupings and strategic advantages as he prepares the team for the upcoming season. It's still the first full week of practice, so it's both unfair and unrealistic to analyze strengths and areas for improvement. I'm sure Coach Celli would say the team needs to get better at everything.
At this point, everyone works on all aspects of their offensive and defensive repertoire. The best combinations will attain not only the highest peak performance but also consistency, which often separates excellent from superior teams.
Weather permitting, Melrose hosts Chelmsford in a 2 p.m. scrimmage tomorrow.
Melrose travels to The Taj MaHigh School tomorrow to face the Newton North Tigers. Newton's new high school came with a cool 197 million dollar price tag, Olympic swimming pool, two theaters, and other assorted goodies. Coach Richard Barton always has a tall and talented team which is among the best in Division I. According to Maxpreps.com, Newton North finished 18-2 last season, and ranked 21st in Massachusetts.
TIME CHANGE. The Lady Raiders opening regular season match (Sept. 8) at home versus Belmont will be a 4:00 Varsity start.
Here are updated rosters. The freshman roster is not finalized.
The evolution of the program is such that the overall talent level in the program constantly improves.
