8-3 Melrose will see postseason after Belmont win
Published in the May 4, 2018 edition.
By JENNIFER GENTILE
MELROSE—The Melrose Lady Raider lacrosse team has punched a ticket to a post season when they beat Belmont at home on Tuesday, 18-7, and improved to 8-3 on the season.
First year head coach Matt Galusi came to Melrose with the expectation of coaching a team that would return to playoffs. Now, after just eleven games, that goal was met. According to the coach, clinching a spot on the early end of the season is satisfying.
“It feels great and the girls should be proud,” says Galusi. “I am incredibly proud of them. We still have a lot of work to do, but me and the coaching staff can see the team really starting to gel together and play as a unit. They are really starting to figure it out.”
Melrose battled Belmont at home on Tuesday and prevailed in a convincing 18-7 win. Galusi contends it was their best effort of the year. “Everybody did their job quite well. Girls did the ‘dirty jobs’ that don’t show up on the score sheet, like getting ground balls and taking defensive charges and hustling to save possessions—those seemingly little things add up and become big things that you must do to win.”
Melrose was lead in scoring by junior Lily Cunningham (7 goals, 2 assists) and sophomore Emma Randolph (6 goals, 2 assists). Also finding the net for Melrose were seniors Lauren Pedrini (2 goals) and Rachel DiFraia (2 goals) and Samantha Zysk and Abby Cunningham. At goal, Linnea Kelley had 11 saves on 18 shots. “She was great in the net today,” said her coach.
Melrose came out swinging and never looked back, taking an early lead of 2-0. When Belmont responded to make it a 2-1 game, Melrose buckled down and transformed their play. “Every player seemed to stand a little taller, get a little bigger and just exude this confidence and swagger that showed they ‘got this’,” Galusi noted.
Melrose won the next several draws and scored fast break goals and settled goals until they took an 11-3 lead at the half. “It was nice to give our defense a break and our O came up huge today with long, grinding possessions that ended in goals,” said the coach. “But I also have to credit my defensive unit of Peri MacDonald, Maggie O’Donnell, Katie Wright and freshman Meghan Fogarty for playing strong, disciplined defense in front of goalie Linnea Kelley. That made it hard for Belmont to even get looks to score.”
Melrose also showed strength in the midfield. “Hats off to our midfielders and our low attack for the precision they displayed with our transition game,” says the coach. “It was great to watch as we moved the ball up the field like a well-oiled machine. We have a team saying from Nick Saban that states, ‘You don’t always get what you want, but you always get what you deserve.’ Today we deserved to win.”
In the last two games, Melrose has outscored opponents 39-12, thanks to a fired up offense. “We have lit the lamp as of late and I couldn’t be happier,” Galusi says. “We devoted much of Monday’s practice to offense with an emphasis on being a threat with the ball in your stick.”
Melrose also poured on the goals on April 26 when they overwhelmed Stoneham in a 21-5 rout. Abby Cunningham and Lily Cunningham both led in scoring with 5 goals a piece while Rachel Difraia had 3 goals and 2 assists. Lauren Pedrini also had 2 goals 5 assists. Finding the net for Melrose as well was Jenna Thorpe, Stephanie Overlan and Lizzie Casey, who scored her first two varsity goals.
This game was another example of Melrose working strong on both ends of the field. “I think that when we play disciplined lacrosse and take care of the ball we can be a really skilled team,” says the coach. “We’re adopting the ‘we is greater than me’ concept. If every girl is playing for her teammates and not herself, then the entire team is invested and locked in.”
Melrose faces some stiff competition in the upcoming days, including Reading (today) and Winchester on Tuesday. Their playoff field will no doubt, be just as challenging, and Galusi is mindful of this. “Teams like Reading and Winchester require us to play our best lacrosse,” he says. “We must take care of the ball and play disciplined, team lacrosse. If we are able to do that and keep scoring at the pace we’ve been scoring, then anything can happen. We can be a tough out.”
Melrose travels to Reading today to take on the Rockets at 3:45 p.m.