Melrose Highlights, Final Set Versus Billerica

Video from MHS-TV with YouTubeTrimmer 

Video doesn't capture the intensity and tension of the match. Melrose looks to use the momentum of last night's win and ten consecutive wins headed to Duxbury tomorrow. 

Chloe Gentile finishes the play after a couple of good defensive plays from Manon Marchais. 

The 'runup' to the attack is pivotal. Here Gia Vlajkovic gets "extra runway" starting well behind the 10-foot line en route to a smash down the line. 

One of the top defensive points in Melrose history with multiple brilliant saves. 

Ruth Breen keeps a rocket alive, Emma Desmond with a great dig into a tip for Chloe Gentile with 'athletic adjustment' at the net. 

The denouement with the match ending quite similarly to set two. 

Sometimes teams achieve more from the force of their engagement, team spirit. 

"We talk about four levels of commitment: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. The spiritual is about team spirit, the team comes first."@CanesHoops head coach Jim Larrañaga is a national icon

(Via @CBSSports 🎥)

pic.twitter.com/ASSOeerWAQ

— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) November 1, 2022

Melrose Highlights from Set Three - Billerica Responds

Video from MHS-TV, Set 3 highlights. 

Sadie Jaggers with a 'block party'  

Gia brings lightning, then thunder. 

Defenders seldom get enough credit. Emma Desmond had fifty serve receives and digs last night. Here's a highlight.

 

Gia uses 'the whole field'. 

Lefthanded, too... 

More great defense from multiple players.

 

More Melrose - Billerica Highlights. GAME TIME CORRECTION - AT DUXBURY 530 FRIDAY

Video from MHS-TV with YouTubeTrimmer

FIRST, AN IMPORTANT UPDATE, TOMORROW'S DUXBURY MATCH IS AWAY AT 530 TOMORROW.

Melrose off to a 1-9 start in set two and Chloe Gentile stays relentless to win a point. 

Sadie Jaggers shows how to finish an overpass. 

Gia wipes the block to tie the second set at 21. 

Volleyball rewards controlled aggression. Sadie finishes. 

Billerica has set point. In a classic Dick Collis, "dig, set, spike" passes from Emma Desmond and Ruth Breen set Sadie to finish. 

Journalists call this "foreshadowing" as Ava McSorley serves for the second set. 

Melrose Individual Statistics - Big Game with Big Numbers

Statistics via MaxPreps.com provided by Coach Scott Celli

Melrose put up big kill numbers in a prolonged match with double digits for Gia Vlajkovic, Sadie Jaggers, and Chloe Gentile. Anna Shoemaker added another half a dozen well-timed attacks. 

Emma Desmond put up ginormous numbers with a total of 50 digs plus serve receives. Gia and Ava McSorley had double digit serve receives. 

Melrose Notes: 

• Chloe Gentile went over the 500 career kill mark. That moves her into 7th on the Melrose All-Time kill list.
• Ruth Breen added to her over 500 assist season, putting her on the cusp of the top 10 Melrose single season assist leaders.
• Gia Vlajkovic's 18 kills brings her to 299. That lifts her to 7th in the All-Time Melrose single season kill list. 

Then There Were Eight

Melrose travels to Duxbury Friday in the D2 Quarterfinals. 

Brackets from MassHSVB.com

Championship Teams Make Championship Plays

Set 4, Melrose leads 23-22. Ruth Breen slows an attack, Emma Desmond makes a running one-handed save going out of bounds, and Chloe Gentile gets a kill with an athletic adjustment. Great teamwork all-around.

Also, note the bench engagement and energy. 

Sweet 16: Melrose 3 Billerica 1

Video from MHS-TV

Melrose and Billerica met in a rematch one round earlier than 2021, but Melrose again outlasted the visitors 25-20, 29-27, 23-25, and 25-22.  Melrose moves on to the Elite Eight Friday at 4:30 in a holiday matinee at Duxbury. 

Walking on a beach, a Melrose volleyball fan found a lamp, rubbed it and a magic genie emerged. The genie said, "I grant you three wishes." The fan said, "I wish you forget how to count."

Melrose used extra wishes tonight in a match that exhausted both players and fans with multiple long rallies, momentum shifts, and big plays.  

One play illustrates the toughness and tempo of the match. Melrose trails 17-18 in the fourth set, leading the match 2-1. The longest point of the match highlighted set-saving plays by Gia Vlajkovic and multiple from Sadie Jaggers and libero Emma Desmond.

Home court advantage came into play on multiple balls going into the MVMMS rafters, including match point. 

Match point as Ava McSorley aces a serve that is deflected off the rafters. 

I'll publish more highlights tomorrow when everyone's recovered.

Melrose notes: A big playoff crowd showed up, including former State Champion, current Wakefield Coach Kayla Wyland and last year's All-State outside hitter Elena Soukos. 

Player Development (Cross-Post)

"Shoulda, woulda, coulda." Find answers, not excuses.

Every day is player development day - skill, strategy understanding, physicality, psychology. Last year's team clung to three words, "Do. Not. Quit."

Become a difference maker.  

Sweet Sixteen - Bracketology

Melrose hosts Billerica tonight in the MIAA Division 2 round of sixteen playoffs. 

Both look to return to the "Elite Eight" where last year Melrose outlasted Billerica in a five-set thriller. 

The winner travels to Duxbury later this week. 

Billerica comes in riding a seven game winning street and Melrose is on a nine game win streak. 

MaxPrep.com features the 'Tale of the Tape'.

Ticket Information (Volleyball Wednesday)

Tickets from this point are available via the GoFan App. Here's the message via the Athletic Department:

"This is a very exciting time of year for our students, families and our community! We have volleyball, boys and girls soccer still competing in the MIAA StateTournament round of 16. At this point in the tournament all tickets must be purchased electronically from GoFan, cash is no longer an option." 

 

Weds 11/9 - 6:30 Melrose volleyball host Billerica Memorial HighSchool

https://gofan.co/app/events/773843?schoolId=MIAA 

Sustainable Competitive Advantage

 

Long-term outperformance requires sustainable competitive advantage. 

What? The 'discipline of execution' has three inputs

• People 
• Strategy (keep it simple)
• Operations (be consistent)

Where? 

• The magic is in the work. Offseason play is critical.
• Success means winning both at home and on the road; the best teams beat strong teams at home and on the road.

When? 

• Everything starts at practice. 
• "Be here now." Make this play. Don't let a mistake carry over into the next play. 

How? 

• Keep talented players in the program. Recruit from within.
• Make practice hard so games are easier.
• Instill confidence. Self-belief matters. 
• Find the next great player in the crowd. Liz Sheerin (8) with two young fans, future Melrose players, Stephanie and Victoria Crovo
• 
  
• 

Why? 

• It's fun.
• Enjoy the competition. 

Who? 

• "The game is about the players."
• There's a constant influx of new talent. 
• Consistent leadership. Coach Celli has over 600 career wins. 
• Senior leadership plays. Experience is a great teacher. 

Volleyball Tournament Tidbits: Are the Seedings Working?

How well are the MIAA Volleyball seedings 'working'? 

Examine the top 16 teams remaining in each division. 

Division 1

• 15 of the top 16 remain. 
• C-C (17) defeated Peabody (16).

Division 2

• 13 of the top 16 remain.
• The 12, 15, and 16 seeds are out.

Division 3

• 15 of the top 16 remain.
• The 9 seed (Fairhaven) is out.

Division 4

• All top 16 seeds remain. 

Division 5

• 13 of the top 16 remain.
• The 10, 14, and 16 seeds are out.

Across divisions, 72 of the top 80 (90%) seeded teams remain. 

Of the top 60 seeds, 57 (95%) remain. 

Easy Lessons: A MasterClass in MasterClass

Challenge yourself to learn each day. Coach Don Meyer kept three notebooks - one for basketball, one for general knowledge, and a gratitude notebook that he gave his wife at the end of each year.

MasterClass shares life lessons from leaders in many domains including writing, the arts and music, business, sport, and more.

What timeless lessons did those 'professors' share? Here are a few that work daily:

Actress Helen Mirren was asked what was necessary for success? 

• "Always be on time."
• "Don't be an @$$#%&*." 

Entrepreneur Sara Blakely advised:

     "Obsess the product." 

Michelin three-star chef Thomas Keller shared:

     "Cooks cook to nurture people." Whatever your domain, nurture. 

Pulitzer Prize winning investigative journalist Bob Woodward explained:

     "Find the best version of the truth." We never get the absolute             truth.

Actor Sam Jackson advised:

     "Always bring your best version of yourself." It might not get you this  job but it might get you the next one. 

Entertainer Usher encourages us:

     "Study your mentors' mentors." For him, that meant James Brown and  Gene Kelly

Metallica band member James Hetfield explained:

     "We do what is in the best interest of the project." Teamwork over ego

Reaching Your Potential (Cross-Posted)

Cross-post from my basketball site that works for volleyball. 

Excerpt:

"We talk about four levels of commitment: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. The spiritual is about team spirit, the team comes first."@CanesHoops head coach Jim Larrañaga is a national icon

(Via @CBSSports 🎥)

pic.twitter.com/ASSOeerWAQ

— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) November 1, 2022

The Next Generation

Yesterday, the seniors were featured. They're complemented by a mix of underclassmen, sorted by class and alphabetically. 

Grace Gentile (Jr)

• Grace is an experienced, impactful defensive specialist who competes for the libero position. 
• She's an athletic defender who covers a lot of ground, making diving and pancake digs. 

Sadie Jaggers (Jr)

• Sadie has a big role blocking and attacking from the middle. An ML All-Star, she's grown her attacking with an array of hard and soft stuff. 
• She's a team leader with a vital role mentoring young players. 

Manon Marchais (Jr)

• Manon has an opportunity to expand her role as either opposite or outside hitter. 
• She has good "ups" and success double blocking the outside. 

Gigi Albuja (So)

• Like Grace Gentile, she's part of a Melrose volleyball sister act. She's had success as a designated server with unexpected power. 
• Gigi has the versatility to compete for position as a defensive specialist or attacker.

Leah Fowke (So)

• Leah has a big role as a designated server who serves a "heavy" ball that has confounded defenses.
• She has positional versatility as well with the 'soft hands' capable of setting the next generation of Melrose hitters.

Caroline Higonenq (So)

• Caroline is a powerful athlete in the mode of Laura Irwin or Abby Hudson. She can compete for a big role as outside hitter. 
• She's another player with positional versatility who can play in the front or back row.

Maggie Turner (So) 

• Maggie is a spitfire defender and energizer who's no wallflower. 
• She's another contender for libero and a big role in the back row. 

Sabine Wenzel (Fr) 

• Sabine has exceptional size at 6'4" and good athleticism for her age. 
• She's shown an aptitude for skill growth and the potential to be an elite front row player for the next three years. 

These young women may get called on in this postseason and have the opportunity to continue the inclusive culture and tradition of Melrose volleyball. 

Seniority System

"Water the flowers." People never forget how we make them feel. 

Once a teacher's class frustrated her because they couldn't collaborate. She gave each student a sheet with names of classmates. She asked them to write two things they liked about each. She cut and pasted them onto a paper that she returned to each student. It proved miraculous. 

Many years later, the teacher passed and students attended her services. Some still had those cut and pasted "praise sheets" from her in their purses or wallets.  

Senior leadership lifts teams to levels otherwise unachievable. Making the Melrose volleyball team is tough and being a steady contributor even more demanding. Here are a few observations about each senior (alphabetically).

Ruth Breen

• Teams without an excellent setter are like cars without engines. Ruth's consistency stands out. Of players with over 100 serves, she has the highest serving percentage. 
• Phenomenal progression from junior to senior year and already is in a tie for 12th in highest single season assist totals. You don't get three hitters with over 150 kills without good setting.

Emma Desmond

• Teams need strength up the middle and Emma's libero defense has provided that in full measure. Her play has risen dramatically over the season to the point that All-Star status was a given. 
• Emma's serving has recently come on strong, when it is needed the most. 

Chloe Gentile 

• Chloe is the anchor of the front row defense and has the second most kills on the team. She is a vocal and inspirational leader. 
• Chloe has tons of experience which helps her make 'instinctive' plays around the net. She leads the team in serves and service points, which also means she's a valuable cog in the back row defense. 

Ava McSorley 

• Defensive specialists stand out most when they struggle with shanked balls, receive errors, or overpasses. She's like an umpire, doing her job quietly and getting it right. 
• Ava brings reliable serving with the fourth most service points on the team. 

Anna Shoemaker

• Every team with high aspirations needs three 'dynamic' hitters who can deliver double digit kills on a given day. She's the 'missing link' fourth hitter for Melrose. Injuries held her back in the first half of the season but she's been on fire the second half with nine or more kills four times. 
• Another one of those players that the coaches say is one of the best people you'll ever meet. 

Gia Vlajkovic

• Coaches value explosive athletes. Gia gives you "fast twitch" athleticism every time she's on the court. She plays 'all-around', meaning she's always on the court in the front or the back. If you needed a 'decathlete' candidate, you might look to her. 
• Coaches also value performance. Freedom division MVP, All-Conference, top 8 in All-Time Single Season kills at Melrose, Gia delivers high production and always with a smile. 

Steady contributions from every senior on the team are more exception than rule. Each should know their value in delivering success to the 2022 team.

Every member of the 2022 club has been 'all in' and team first this season, another reason to wish them well on their playoff journey. 

Fast Five: Impacting Winning

Players impact winning in multiple ways. 

Leadership. Distributed leadership allows every player to have a role. Never be a distraction, always strive to improve those around you. 

Practice habits. Former college and NFL coach Urban Meyer described "crossing the red line." When you step onto the court, be fully engaged to do your best. "We make our habits and our habits make us." 

Competitiveness. Reserve players help build championship teams. They challenge players to be their best by competing, playing on the scout team, sacrificing to excel in their role. 

Energy giving. Players can be energy givers or 'energy vampires'. Some players struggle to raise their energy and the team's. 

Stepping up. Are you ready to step in and be productive when your chance comes? Players get injury or illness. Maybe a teammate is having a tough day and your coach is looking for a spark. Have you done the mental and physical preparation allowing you to contribute in the moment? 

Every day you choose whether to "make the big time where you are." 

Lifelong Lessons

Why care about girls' sports? As a society we should care because sport provides a wealth of benefits for participants. Societies where women have a reduced role have lower productivity by excluding half the population from leadership, management, and full education. 

• Better mental health and self-esteem
• Higher academic performance
• Superior graduation rates
• Reduced breast cancer rate and osteoporosis (thin bones)
• Excellence in long-term achievement - "80% of the female executives at Fortune 500 companies identified themselves as former “tomboys”—having played sports."
• Lower teenage pregnancy rates
• Sport teaches time management, balancing court and classroom
• Sport teaches discipline, doing what you may not 'like' now to earn rewards that you want later. 

Link to Indra Nooyi MasterClass

Rematch

Melrose hosts Billerica on Wednesday evening in the Sweet Sixteen. It's a rematch of the 2021 epic Elite Eight match. 

Everything is an open book test. 

The Big Shoe

Some of your grandparents remember the "Ed Sullivan Show." 

See the game through "coaches' eyes.' Coaches are like Santa, they know who's been naughty and who's been nice. 

It's wonderful to have "unicorns" but you don't need a team full of them to win. Lionesses and tigresses do fine. 

Emma Desmond has enjoyed an excellent season at libero and Ruth Breen led the ML12 in assists. 

She's not flashy. All she does is make plays. Anna Shoemaker fired in another nine kills last night. #TheBigShoe 

Don't Get Ready. Be Ready and Stay Ready.

You never know when your number might be called. Some players might think, "I can relax. I'm a non-factor in this game."

Think again.

The history of Melrose volleyball says otherwise. In the D2 semifinal game of 2004, Melrose was struggling against Case. Sophomore defensive specialist Laura Dillon came off the bench to help Melrose take the match to five sets in a losing cause.

In 2005, setter Amanda Hallett broke a shoelace in a Saturday showdown against D1 powerhouse Andover (finalist in state tournament). Taylor Pearson came off the bench while Amanda made an equipment change. Melrose won six of those seven points. Be ready (and check your shoelaces). Melrose beat the D1 runner-up in five sets. 

In 2017, Winchester dominated Melrose in the first set of a match at Winchester. Freshman Emily Hudson sparked Melrose to a rally as they won a set against a powerful Winchester club. I doubt Emily even expected to play, but she was a key contributor that day. 

Great coaches make hard choices to put their best TEAM on the court. That can change at any time. Stay ready. 

Melrose notes: Chatting in the stands recently, a high school coach told me, "Caroline Higonenq has good size and is an excellent athlete. She has a future in this program." Always embrace your role while preparing to expand it. "Do more to become more; become more to do more." 

An Easy Team to Like

Coach Sonny Lane used to ask us, "You know what I like about you guys?" We answered, "nothing." 

Cliches exist because they often have validity. 

Leadership maven David Cottrell wrote, "People don't quit jobs; they quit people." You can count the number of players who walked away from Melrose volleyball in two decades...on about one finger. 

"Culture eats strategy for breakfast. Fight for your culture every day." A welcoming and inclusive culture goes a long way. 

Legendary UCLA Coach John Wooden said, "Happiness begins where selfishness ends." The 2008 Celtics had a culture built upon the Swahili, "UBUNTU." It translates to "I am because of who we are." Superstars Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen sacrificed shots and 'usage ratio' to win an NBA title. 

"You can observe a lot by watching." - Yogi Berra   Some coaches such as Geno Auriemma and Pat Summitt film the bench. If you're not engaged, you're not playing. I've noticed terrific engagement from players on the sidelines. Attitude is a choice. 

"It's amazing what can be accomplished when nobody cares who gets the credit." Every player on a championship team is a champion. Nobody can take that away from them. 

Most coaches take a shine to our teams as we know them well. Invariably, I'll mention a player to Coach Scott Celli and he'll say, "And she's as nice a person as you'd want to meet." He told me that about multiple girls on the team this season. 

That makes it easy to like the 2022 team, regardless of wins and losses. 

Stat Pack

Statistics from MaxPreps.com entered by Coach Scott Celli. 

Three Melrose players had at least nine kills, including Anna Shoemaker who continues her strong late season play. Don't confuse 'flash' with productivity. Shoemaker is a silent sniper, among the obvious candidates for most improved player...sneaky good. 

Four Melrose players had assists led by Ruth Breen with 25.

Melrose notes: Gia's eleven kills bring her season total to 281, which is the eighth highest single-season total in Melrose volleyball history. 

Postseason Round of 32: Melrose 3 Stoughton 0 Girls on Fire

"When elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers." - African Proverb

Melrose's elephants trampled the Stoughton defense, dominating from the outset, winning 25-8, 25-10, 25-16. Melrose brought hitting intent all night, overwhelming the Knights' defenses. All fourteen Melrose players saw action. 

Here are some of the top points of the match...video from MHS-TV. 

Chloe Gentile got Melrose off to a quick start, following up a windmill spike with a strong joust. 

She followed that up with a smash of a return off an Anna Shoemaker attack.

 

And she finishes the set with additional tough net play. 

Fellow Freedom Divsion All-Star Sadie Jaggers added plenty of support at the net. 

Sadie can hit straight down off the quick set, too. 

Freedom Division MVP Gia Vlajkovic brought her usual clutch of kills to the party. 

Focus on Gia on the outside, the 'land shark'. As the play develops, she drifts back behind the 10-foot line to launch her attack. She uses poetry and power to finish the kill. 

And some trickery, too...instead of a smash, Gia delivers a push down the line.

Defying gravity, another Gia smash down the line.

Whatever it takes.  

Melrose notes: The win moves Melrose into the Sweet 16 where they host Billerica in a rematch from the 2021 Elite Eight. 

The clips above show some of the top plays during the match. But don't overlook what comes before the point. Ruth Breen had another strong setting game and Emma Desmond was the 'unsung hero' with exceptional consistency at libero and serving. Defender Ava McSorley was also solid as often strong defense appears 'routine'. 

Staying Alive

Hat tip: Nikos Soukos

Keep the ball alive and good thing happen. "The ball has energy." 

Lifelong Learning (Cross Post)

 "Be a learn-it-all not a know-it-all."

What and whom do you think about when you picture, "lifelong learner?" Make it ourselves.

Billionaire Steve Forbes reads at least fifty pages a day. Kevin Eastman reads two hours a day. Warren Buffett spends half his work day reading about companies. 

It's not just business people who read. Basketball 'bookworms' include Coach George Raveling, Mike Neighbors of Arkansas Women's basketball, Gregg Popovich, and Steve Kerr. 

Invest in ourselves. Have a plan. 

• Take breaks. Twenty-five minutes on, five minutes off. 
• Test ourselves. What did I just read? What are the key points. 
• Use 'spaced repetition'. Don't cram. Go back to a subject at intervals. 
• Think about analogies and derivatives. 
• What would I do under these circumstances?
• Consider how our communication impacts others. 

What not to do.

• Don't tell ourselves, "it's too hard." 
• Don't stop at problem discovery. Seek solutions.
• Don't be on an island. Leaders are communicators. 

Have a learning plan. 

• Set aside time for learning.
• Use learning resources about basketball and life. 
• Read every day. 
• Keep a journal (blog or diary).
• Study video.  

Ask better questions?

• What do we do to win?
• How do we not lose? Avoid bad plays.
• How can I teach better? 

Summary: 

- Become our vision of the learner.

- Set aside time. 

- Reflect on what we learn. 

- Stories are often good ways to share lessons. 

- Teach players what to avoid to prevent losing (bad plays).

Lagniappe (something extra). Mental toughness is a difference maker. Physical condition and mindfulness are two paths. 

Research shows athletes can fail to reach their potential for many reasons.. Injuries, systematic failures, physical limitations BUT the most common reason seems to be the lack of mental strength to handle adversity

Don’t let your mind stop you from reaching your full potential

— Laken James (@lakenjames5) October 31, 2022

Lagniappe 2. Be coachable. 

Uncoachable vs. Coachable

Uncoachable players:
-Take it personally
-Feel they’re being singled out
-Become very defensive

Coachable players:
-Open to feedback/criticism
-Want to be coached
-See it as a way to get better

— Drew Maddux (@DrewMaddux) November 1, 2022

Dancing at Last: Melrose Hosts Stoughton at 630

A former Melrose player says, "it's the best time of the year, the playoffs." She played in fifteen volleyball tournament games. 

For most of you, it's another bite at the apple. For others, it's your first dance. Enjoy the moment, the bigger crowds, showtime. 

E + R = O. The EVENT plus the RESPONSE equals OUTCOME. 

Be excited, energized, confident. Make memories. 

Melrose history: 

Jill MacInnes (J-Mac) was one of the elite liberos in Melrose history. Here's a clip of her keeping a ball alive in maybe her best game ever. That's what the postseason is about, staying alive. 

J-Mac lays out to save another. 

Be relentless. Melrose hammers away until Sarah McGowan is able to break down the defense. 

Coordination of Play

 The back and front rows work together. Here J-Mac makes a diving dig and "The Great Wall" of Rachel Johnson and Kayla Wyland clean up the Westborough attack in 2012.  

What Was the Lesson?

Sport creates learning opportunities...if fully engaged, open to learning and change.

Each play you calculate choices. With a 7'4" net, an overhand smash of a ball contacted at 6' cannot clear the net.

Seize each learning opportunity. Understanding how birds fly led to airplanes.

Learn about leadership and coaching.

• Coaches are communicators.
• Become your own coach; ask questions about your play.
• Find a mentor. "Mentoring is the only shortcut to excellence."

Here are a few notes from the MasterClass of Indra Nooyi, the former CEO of PepsiCo. One survey ranked her at number 13 of the most powerful women in the world. Maybe that's you someday. 

First, study great speakers. 

Second, be "performance-focused, feedback-rich." Great players want coaching. 

Be detail-oriented. What's the defensive coverage? Where does this attacker favor attacking? How does the geometry of the court affect your choices? 

Blast from the past. Melrose traveled to Westborough and delivered a sweep with great team and individual play. Jill MacInnes had perhaps the greatest libero game in Melrose history. 

 

Geno Auriemma "Great Players Don't Get Tired"

Geno Auriemma on mental toughness

“People that are mentally sharp are never tired” 🗣 🗣

(Via @BallisPsych 🎥 )

pic.twitter.com/uZtiSICVyn

— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) October 31, 2022

 

Margin of Error

 "It's about making plays not running plays."

Attention to detail impacts winning. Let's go back to 2010, Andover, sectional championship. 

Melrose serving for the win. What went right and what went badly? 

• Solid serve 
• Serve receive doesn't find the setter.
• You can't hear the "just get it over."
• Rachel Johnson keeps the ball in the front row.
• That "hockey assist" leads to an easy setup for Brooke Bell. 
• Brooke puts up 'butter' for Athena Ziavras, who wipes the block. 

Points to ponder -

• Attend to the details. Take care of business. 
• Stay aggressive. Aggression pays dividends. 

Next Up in the Round of 32 on Friday Night - Stoughton

Stoughton (27) ousted Holyoke (38) three sets to one to advance to face Melrose on Friday night. 

Handing Out Middlesex League Awards

Winning teams win with talent, toughness, tenacity, and leadership. Melrose players earned recognition:

Freedom Division MVP:

Gia Vlajkovic 

Middlesex League All-Conference Team (Top 6):

Gia Vlajkovic

Middlesex League All-Stars:

Gia Vlajkovic

Chloe Gentile

Sadie Jaggers

Ruth Breen

Emma Desmond 

Congratulations to the players, teammates, and coaches. Success follows those around us who are helping. 

Choose to Be Great

Feeling vs. Choice

Are you going to do what you feel like doing or are you going to choose to do the things you need to do? #nicksaban

🎥 @thewinningdiff1 pic.twitter.com/YuUWaA02nK

— Drew Maddux (@DrewMaddux) November 2, 2022

 

"It's a Marathon Not a Sprint"

"It's not whom you play but how you play." 

The postseason is not a sprint. It's a long race where consistency, discipline, and staying power pay off.

Volleyball ebbs and flows with shifting momentum. Games won't continuously go your way.

Keep going. The favorite gets overtaken when the competition plays harder for longer.

One of the greatest examples occurred in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics where Native American and Marine Billy Mills came from behind to upset the favorites.  

Melrose notes: Polls become meaningless once the playoffs start. The final regular season MassHSVB.com poll is out. "Content is king." 

Issues? There are always issues. There's no respect for the Hockomock League, especially after Dartmouth shut out Barnstable. The Cape Ann League powers show up in the D3/D4/D5 smaller school poll. 

Getting Closer to the Big Dance

Respect everyone. Fear no one. 

Stoughton played in the tough Hockomock League with a host of quality clubs. Franklin (4) and Attleboro (7) are D1 powers. King Philip (2), Oliver Ames (5), and Canton (13) are high seeds from D2. Milford (21) is a possible D2 sleeper.

Stoughton will have to beat Holyoke to face Melrose on Friday. 

Melrose has overcome tough draws to advance in the past. In 2005, they beat Central Catholic, probably the second strongest team in the North in the sectional quarterfinals. Then they beat Arlington Catholic and North Andover to win sectionals.

"Iron sharpens iron."  

Headliners and Sleepers from "The Boston Globe"

Is it the 'Year of the Favorite' or will underdogs speak up. The Boston Globe shares its tournament preview.