Unbeaten in last 4 games, Melrose is in playoff range
IT COULD be a playoff season for the MHS girls’ field hockey team who are unbeaten in three games thanks in part to their seniors (from left) Ava Viola, Sophia Sullivan, Elena Fuentes, Alex Zaino. (photo by Raj Das edphotos.com)
After press time:
Melrose ties Wilmington 0-0 (Oct. 17)
By JENNIFER GENTILE
MELROSE—Don’t look now, but the Melrose High field hockey team is on an upswing that has seen them unbeaten in their last three efforts and within playoff contention after the release of recent Div. 2 Power Rankings.
Melrose recently beat two Middlesex League teams (Woburn and Wakefield) and drew a 1-1 tie against Burlington that has seen their record improve to 3-8-2, but more importantly, they stand within the top 30 Div. 2 playoff spots in the recent Power Rankings released on Tuesday.
“The girls, as well as myself, are beyond excited to be in the running for playoffs,” said first year coach Olivia Cameron. “They have been checking the rankings weekly and are so motivated to stay within the top 32.”
Worth celebrating is that Melrose recently finished a sweep of rival Wakefield, 2-1, on Oct. 10 which followed their 3-1 win in September. It was a bittersweet victory for coach Cameron who played for the Warriors less than a decade ago.
“Of course, beating Wakefield feels great but I am just happy that this team added another win to their column in general,” she says. “We came into this game with one win under our belt against Woburn that same week and we wanted to keep that streak going. Although it wasn’t our strongest game, the girls wanted to win so badly that beating Wakefield again was an added bonus. I love coaching against Luca and it is always special to see her since she was my HS field hockey coach years ago.”
Melrose’s Zoe Blackburn scored Melrose’s first goal and Mary Atkinson scored the second goal for Melrose.
Melrose started a little slow and the score was tied 0-0 for most of the game. But Melrose’s Zoe Blackburn scored her first varsity goal and Wakefield answered almost immediately after. After a back-and-forth battle, Melrose earned a corner and Mary Atkinson found the box. “Mary has been an extremely reliable player for us on the corners and she scored our second goal to win the game,” says Cameron.
Melrose goalie Elena Fuentes had another strong showing in the net. “Elena was crucial for us and had some great saves during the game that kept us in it,” says the coach.
The coach also pointed out the efforts of some talented underclassmen.
“Grace Jenkins is a player who really stood out to me during this game. Grace fights for every ball and is involved in almost every play,” notes Cameron. “Elsie English has been getting stronger each game. She is a smart player and knows how to make a smart play in a stressful game situation. Lastly, Sophia Hulbert has really flourished and takes the ball with confidence. She’s so speedy and can move down the field to get a play going in the circle.”
On Monday, Oct. 14 Melrose fought to a 1-1 tie in a defensive gem against Burlington on the road. “This game was competitive and intense,” reports the coach.
Burlington scored first and after several opportunities on Melrose’s end, they were rewarded a stroke after Zoe Blackburn’s rush down the field. “We practice strokes before every game, so it was an easy choice to pick Ava Viola. It was crucial to score and she did just that,” says coach Cameron.
Although the game ended in a tie, the girls fought till the end and Melrose’s Sophia Sullivan almost found the back of the net in the last minute of the game, but it went wide. But they still go the win. “They battled throughout the whole game and it was a team win for sure,” says Cameron.
Keeping that score locked required some defensive muscle and that came courtesy of their defensive group, Lindsay Minton, Saoirse Uzgiris, Ava Viola, and Elena Fuentes. Notes the coach, “They were strong and had great communication. The group made a huge impact on the game as well as Sophia Hulbert who showed her stick skills.”
Right now, Melrose is sitting in spot No. 30 in Div. 2, perhaps based in part on the strength of their schedule. That puts them in the sights of playoffs. If they can maintain this momentum, Melrose might make a long-awaited playoff appearance. Of course, there is a lot of field hockey left to play, but where they are now is a great place.
Summarizes coach Cameron, “I’m really proud of them and to have a team that is still competing every game, and showing up every day wanting to get better, is such a great thing to see.”
Melrose will next play Stoneham at home on Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 4:15 p.m. for their second outing with the Spartans of the season. They wrap up their regular season on Oct. 24 against juggernaut Watertown at home.
