League champs would like to make it 19 in a row
After press time:
Melrose defeats Belmont 3-2 (Sept. 3)
Melrose defeats Wakefield 3-0 (Sept. 5)
SENIOR CAPT. and 6’6 middle blocker Sabine Wenzel is among those who will keep Melrose volleyball competitive in 2025. The middle blocker recently committed to play at East Texas A&M. (photo by Raj Das, edphotos.com)
By JENNIFER GENTILE
MELROSE—After another league-winning year, the Melrose High girls volleyball team returns looking to clinch their 19th straight Middlesex League title after another successful season that saw them finish the Middlesex League 15-1 (18-3 overall) as league champs to advance to Sweet 16 play in the Div. 2 playoffs last season.
This week they kick off their fall campaign with a road trip to Belmont on Wednesday. The Marauders are a team Melrose has beaten several years in a row, and they’d like to repeat that.
They’re in good hands with captains Sabine Wenzel, Anna Burns and Emme Boyer. All three have been on the team since freshman year and will bring their know-how to a Melrose squad that’s sporting a lot of new faces this year. Wenzel is expected to be a top scorer for Melrose. The 6’6 middle hitter recently committed to East Texas A&M on a full Div. 1 scholarship. “Sabine will obviously be the focal point on offense and on defense. We will rely on her a lot to set the tone for the team,” says Melrose head coach Scott Celli. “And Emme is hurt at the moment. Not sure of when she will be ready. Junior Anna Burns will be a defensive specialist for us this year. We expect her to be a leader in the back row for us.”
Having graduated a huge amount of seniors (9) last season, Melrose had tons of room for new faces and positions to fill. They now have 14 girls on the roster, consisting of 4 seniors, 2 juniors, 4 sophomores, and 4 freshmen. “We have the potential to repeat as league champs, we have a young but talented group,” says coach Celli.
Melrose’s hitting, according to Celli, will get the job done. “It should be pretty good,” he says. Expect it to be led by Wenzel, freshmen outside hitters Adriana Santoriello and Alisa Dautovic, sophomore middle hitter Sabrina McArt, and sophomore right side hitter Elise Marchais. Also seeing time will be freshman Leila Kiggundo, Adele Ackland, Juliet Chevalier, Ella Freidlaender and Maggie Shoemaker.
Melrose has had a strong setter and back row for several seasons and those spots were up for grab after last fall. Expect Sadie Smith to lead the offense as setter, and freshman Daniella DiGiorgio will be the team’s libero.
Melrose will no doubt look to make a quick dent in the Middlesex League. After Belmont they will host rival Wakefield at home this Friday evening at 5:30 p.m. The upstart Warrior team has pushed Melrose in the past few years, but coach Celli’s squad has consistently emerged victorious. Other teams in the league to keep an eye out for include Burlington, Reading, Belmont and of course Winchester, the only Middlesex League team to top Melrose last season. They will meet on Wednesday, Sept. 11 at Melrose.
“Winchester will be the team to beat in the Middlesex League,” confirms the coach. “They are loaded and return a bunch of key players.”
But first Melrose will have to get past Belmont and Wakefield, the latter of which is coming to Melrose this Friday evening at 5:30 at the Melrose Middle School gym in what could be a must-see contest.