Post publication update:
Melrose defeats Lexington 3-2 (Oct. 3)
Volleyball girls on five-game winning streak
Melrose prevails over reigning state champ Ipswich, 3-1
By JENNNIFER GENTILE
MELROSE—The Melrose High girls varsity volleyball team are back in cruise control, winners of five straight, following a series of league wins and a gripping non-league battle against 4-time reigning Div. 4 state champ Ipswich in a rare meeting between the two, which Melrose prevailed on Tuesday at home in sets of 25-23, 21-25, 25-15, 25-10.
Coming into the match, Melrose faced a daunting task on paper, and sure enough, the Tigers challenged Melrose deeply in their first two sets but never really posed a lethal threat to the young Melrose team, who can count about 5 of their regular positional players as freshmen and sophomores.
“Ipswich is a new team to face; we’ve never played them before. Coming off their 4 state titles, we felt that it would be a great non-league match,” said Melrose head coach Scott Celli after the game.
And it was job well done for his squad. Melrose standout hitter Sabine Wenzel led in all scoring with 17 kills, taking control of the game in her rotations. The senior captain remarkably leads the entire state in kills with 188, making her Melrose’s best weapon. “Sabine is our go to person. When we need a point, everyone knows that it can potentially go to her,” says coach Celli.
The team also had great offensive contributions from Adriana Santoriello (10 kills) Elise Marchais (6 kills) and Emme Boyer (6 kills), who all helped Melrose pull away in critical sets 3 and 4.
Melrose also benefitted from excellent defensive work from junior libero Anna Burns (11 digs, 19 serve receives) and freshmen Adriana Santoriello and Danielle DiGiorgio. Melrose also saw lights out serving from DiGiorgio, who earned 24 points at the line, and Burns, who was 100% at the line. The duo, along with freshman Alisa Dautovic, have been key in Melrose’s improved defense.
That’s a point made by the coach. “After those early season losses, we made some adjustments in the back row and really worked hard in practice on serve receive,” says Celli. “Dani and Anna have been the backbone of our defense. Alisa has been outstanding as well.”
Ipswich, who finished an undefeated state championship season only a year ago, may be experiencing a rebuilding year but the historically tough and well-coached Tigers pushed Melrose as far as they could go in sets 1 and 2 before Melrose regained momentum in third and fourth sets.
Melrose rolled out to an early lead of 12-6 in the first behind hitting from Wenzel and extended those leads by hitting from Ella Friedlaender and Adriana Santoriello. Melrose clinched the set 25-23 after two straight kills from Wenzel. Set 2 proved more challenging as the Tigers reversed an early Melrose lead, before Melrose gained it back behind the serving of Daniella DiGiorgio and offensive attacks from Wenzel. A series of errors hurt Melrose, and despite some good hitting from Elise Marchais and Wenzel, Melrose fell 21-25. Set three would see Melrose regain their footing and they’d battle back from an early deficit to take a lead they wouldn’t lose behind the hitting of Friedlaender and the serving of freshman Alisa Dautovic. Two Emme Boyer slams up front put Melrose in the driver’s seat for the set win, 25-15. Ipswich seemed to succumb to pressure in set 4 and Melrose took an early lead of 8-2 and 15-5 behind the work of Wenzel, Elise Marchais and Emme Boyer. With Melrose way up 20-8, Marchais would continue to roll and Wenzel would close the door with an overpass kill that had fans on their feet and gave Melrose their 7th win of the season, with three more games left to clinch a playoff spot.
During the night, setter Sadie Smith also had 31 assists and freshman Alisa Dautovic had 15 serve receives.
Melrose had previously prevailed in a close 3-2 battle over Masconomet on the road on Sept. 26, in sets of 25-16, 25-19, 16-25, 22-25, and 15-13. Wenzel once again came up big for Melrose with 21 kills. She had 14 against Watertown during Melrose’s 3-0 victory over the Raiders on Sept. 29 and another 19 against Stoneham on Sept 25.
Melrose will hope to keep their winning streak going when they host Lexington (5-5) this Friday evening at 5:30 p.m. at the Melrose Middle School gym.