After press time: Melrose falls to Sandwich 4-1 in round 1 of Div. 2 State Tournament play
Published February 28, 2025
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
MELROSE—The Melrose High girls’ hockey team has been preparing for their highly anticipated playoff opener this week as they are (at press time) scheduled to travel to Bourne to face Sandwich at Gallo Arena on Thursday, Feb. 27, at 5:10 p.m. in round one of Div. 2 play.
Melrose drew the #23 seed against #10 seed Sandwich, whose record (12-9-1) is similar to Melrose’s so while the seeding ranking is wide, there is every reason to expect the game to be competitive.
Melrose has been one of the biggest turnaround teams in the state. After going, 3-13-1 last winter, Melrose finished 11-8-1 this year and they are in the state tournament for the first time in seven years. It is the same roster as last year with the exception of the two graduated seniors.
Freshman Grace Daniels led the team in goals with 15 while junior Julia McNeely led the team in overall points (28) and assists (16). In net, junior Ruby Hansen has gone 11-8-1 with a goals-against average of 2.63. The top scoring defenseman has been Anna Mathews, who had ten points with four goals and six assists. Melrose has outscoring their opponents overall, 62-53. The first line of McNeely, Ella Daniels and Nora Murray have had a combined 67 points. Ella Daniels and Murray are both juniors. Two eighth graders, Grace Doyle and Adriana Demsey, have combined for 15 total points in their first year of varsity hockey.
Doyle finished with three goals, and seven assists for ten points while Demsey had three goals, and two assists for five points while splitting time between left wing and defense.
Melrose, under seventh-year head coach Frank Sorrenti, were 6-5-1 in the Middlesex League and 4-1-1 in the ML Freedom division as they ended up in second place behind Burlington.
The winner of Thursday’s game will play in round of 16 play at a date and time to be determined. Fans are encouraged to check our social media pages and www.miaa.net for up to date game information.