THE 2021 Melrose Division two State Finalists.
Melrose makes epic comeback over Billerica, 3-2
By JENNIFER GENTILE
MELROSE—The chant “warm the buses” was hard to miss.
The Melrose High girls’ volleyball team had been on the ropes the entire night at Billerica High during the third round of the Div. 2 State finals on Nov. 11, and No. 4 seed Billerica was ready to deliver the final blow. Only, it didn’t happen.
A remarkable 12-point run in a decisive 5th set resulted in a 3-2 Melrose victory, and it snagged the MIAA trophy out of Billerica’s hands and into Melrose’s. After the winning kill, the MHS student fans poured on to the court in victory formation.
“It was the greatest comeback in Melrose volleyball history,” said Melrose coach Scott Celli after the game.
No. 5 seed Melrose is now 21-2 as they enter state semis against No. 1 seed Westborough on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. at Watertown High.
To tell the story of the greatest comeback ever, it essentially came down one point. Melrose had fought back to a fifth, deciding set tied 2-2, but were down in painful deficits of 0-6, 3-10, 4-11 in this 15-point game.
It didn’t look good. No wonder the Billerica fans chanted.
Autumn Whelan’s cool serving was instrumental in Melrose’s 16-14 victory over No. 4 seed Billerica. (Photo by Raj Das)
But Melrose somehow fought back, outscoring their opponents 13-4 down the stretch. With Melrose up 15-14 and needing to win by two, setter Autumn Whelan, with the game on the line, delivered a clean serve before setter Gia Vlajkovic found hitter Abby Hudson on the outside and she delivered a dagger past Billerica defenders to end the set 16-14 and the game, 3-2. Overall, Melrose rallied to take the game in sets of 24-26, 26-24, 15-25, 25-19, and 16-14 in the improbable win.
“In 30 years of coach this is probably the most excited I’ve ever seen them get in a match,” said coach Celli. “To be down 9-3 in a fifth set, 99 out of 100 times you don’t come back from a deficit like that. They found a way and a will. I don’t want to say they wanted it more, because Billerica wanted it just as much, but we found a way to get it. I’m so proud of the way we ended it with a smash by Abby. It couldn’t have been better.”
“I thought we matched up well,” said Billerica head coach Brittney McGuinness. “They had a strong outside hitter and their back row picked up and were very scrappy.” Entering the game, Billerica was higher seeded and boasted the same record as Melrose at 20-2.
Melrose had to contain Billerica’s Stephanie Sardella (30 kills) but had their own offensive weapons with Elena Soukos (20 kills) Abby Hudson (13 kills) and Chloe Gentile (8 kills/blocks). Setter Gia Vlajkovic also earned 34 assists over the night. Set one featured strong blocking and hitting from Ava Burns and Sadie Jaggers but Melrose lost 25-24. They fought back in set two for victory behind the hitting of Elena Soukos and serving of Autumn Whelan, who reversed a 13-9 deficit, before Chloe Gentile closed the door at 26-24. Melrose was flat in set 3 and fell 25-15, but bounced back in set 4 behind hitting from Soukos and Hudson.
Most essential in set five was the cool serving hands of Autumn Whelan (24 digs) and Soukos that gave Melrose their Lazarus act. Two straight kills from Chloe Gentile tied the game up 14-14. A Billerica error gave Melrose their slight 15-14 edge but the Red Raiders had to win by two. Cue Hudson’s hammer and it was total pandemonium from there.
“I’m so excited, it’s the best feeling in the world,” said senior captain Elena Soukos. “Seeing the scoreboard, we didn’t want this to be our last game. We all knew that we weren’t going to stop playing and we wanted to keep going. We came with so much power and energy and worked together.”
Gentile, whose kills tied the game up 14-14, credits their coach for keeping them motivated. “Coach Celli told us to never give up. And we didn’t. Any other team might have given up. That shows how strong we are, from how far back we came.”
For Melrose, composure was essential. And this team has it. Down 14-11 in a 15 point game, there was no room for error and it took poise from captains Whelan and Hudson to help put them over the top. Said Autumn Whelan, “Mr. Celli prepares us for moments like this so I wasn’t nervous [on service line] I knew if I got it over the net my team would handle it from there.”
For Hudson, studying the court to find a weakness paid off. “I’d been swinging cross the entire game and realized they didn’t have a strong right side block which opened up the change for me to go line and I did. I was able to get a full swing from the great set by Gia. I’ve never been so proud or relieved after a game. Couldn’t ask more from these girls. It felt like a movie. I’m so excited to continue the season into the final four.”
For coach Celli, this is most certainly one of the most exciting wins he’s ever been involved in during his (now) 501 wins. “It’s right up there,” he says. “If you were a casual observer you would have thought we were dead, but we fought back. It was just a phenomenal job.”
