By JENNIFER GENTILE
MELROSE—The Melrose High girls’ volleyball team saw their playoff journey end on Friday, Oct. 31 on the road at Hingham High School when they fell 3-1 to the Hingham Harbormen in the opening round of the MIAA Div. 2 playoffs.
Melrose finishes the season with a 13-8 overall record. “Hingham was very tough,” said Melrose head coach Scott Celli after the game. “Solid outside hitters, strong setter, and excellent defense.”
Melrose graduates 3 seniors this season and returns a boatload of young players who now have playoff experience, which could bode well for the next few seasons. This year, however, their playoff season was uncharacteristically short.
Melrose was off to a slow start in set one, unable to find their groove or generate much offense, which resulted in Hingham taking the set 25-19. In set two, Hingham dominated early, taking leads of 9-2 and 16-11. Melrose needed their leading scorer Sabine Wenzel and she came on strong in the later part of the set helping Melrose narrow the gap at scores of 20-17 and 23-20. Thanks to good serving from Maggie Shoemaker and some heavy attacks from Wenzel (21 kills in the night) Melrose tied it up 24-24 in a gripping set. But a Melrose error and a point from Hingham swayed the direction towards the Harbormen and they took the set 26-24 and put Melrose in a 0-2 hole. “Set 1was tough, but we moved Maggie Shoemaker into a designated serving role, and she sparked us for a couple of service runs,” says Celli. “Sabine came alive and had a bunch of kills and blocks. We were up 24 to 23, but just couldn’t close it out.”
However, Melrose responded in the next set with a laser focused effort and reversed an early deficit of 7-10 to take a 15-13 lead that forced Hingham to take a time out. Some good serving by Adele Ackland and relentless hitting by Wenzel and Elise Marchais (7 kills) helped Melrose maintain leads and take the set, 25-22.
And despite solid back row work in set 4, Melrose fell 25-16, which ended the game 3-1 and put the lights out on their season.
Melrose in particular struggled against Hingham’s two best hitters, Meghan Koenen and Zoe Schultze, who attacked up front and launched back row kills, despite the work of a very strong Anna Burns at libero, who coach Celli credited for fantastic work. “Anna Burns had her best match ever versus them,” he said after the game. “Her passing was flawless the entire match. She is our anchor on defense, and should be again in 2026.”
Others contributing offensively in the game included sophomore Ella Friedlander with 6 kills, setter Sadie Smith (34 assists) and Gen Overlan and Danielle DiGiorgio, who both shined on the service line.
While it’s an early exit for Melrose, it’s worth noting this incredibly young team played above their years all season. Melrose returns a bevy of starting freshmen and sophomores and will now goodbye to three seniors, Adele Ackland, Juliet Chevalier and captain Sabine Wenzel, league MVP and a new single season kill record-holder at MHS who will take her game to the college level.
“My three seniors were remarkable teammates,” says Celli. “They all brought something different to the team. Sabine was the force in the middle. Adele brought energy from the service line. Juliet was a joy to have on the team after spending her first three years at Penguin Hall.”
Starting now, it’s about the future for Melrose volleyball, and working to return to deep playoff runs and league titles. “This was the youngest team that we have ever had,” says coach Celli. “We ran three frosh and 5 sophomores through the starting rotation. They all gained valuable experience this year. Time will tell, but we will be a tough team to play in the next couple of years,” he predicts. “Most of the girls play for area clubs. I just want them to work really hard in the off season, to improve on the all-around game, and come ready to compete next season.”
Fall to Hingham, 3-1, to finish season