18-1 Melrose ready for playoffs
Published in the October 27, 2017 edition
THE MELROSE High volleyball team honored their seniors at the start of their game against Watertown last week. Pictured, with their family members, are (from left) seniors capts. Lydia Lombardo, Saorise Connolly, Lily Fitzgerald and Jill Mercer. (Steve Karampalas photo)
By LUC SULLIVAN
MELROSE—In a spectacular Senior Night slam session at the MVMMS Gym on Thursday, October 12, Melrose (18-1) swept Watertown 3-0 to lock in an almost perfect season.
Being honored prior to the game were senior captains Saoirse Connolly, Lily Fitzgerald, Lydia Lombardo and Jill Mercer.
The first set began with some back and forth volleys that led to a 3-3 score before Lydia Lombardo served an ace, and another, and another. Fellow captains Jill Mercer and Saoirse Connolly stepped in, Mercer coming in clutch with a pair of off-angle digs that set up two Connolly spikes to keep the points rolling in for Melrose. Erin Torpey hit Watertown with a little misdirection as Melrose continued their point streak, faking a kill and floating the ball to an undefended spot by the Watertown back line. A handful more of Lombardo service points and aces added to the point spree and Fitzgerald made waves on several well-placed sets, one in particular to Connolly, who sent the ball bye-bye with a monster kill for another Melrose point. This brought up the game point at 24-3, Melrose. A final Lombardo serve was volleyed back over the net to the Raiders where Lily Fitzgerald set up Erin Torpey for another kill, putting the score of the first set at Melrose 25, Watertown 3.
Melrose began the second set off an absolute surge of momentum with Lily Fitzgerald sending a mean serve over the net for a Melrose point and Lydia Lombardo following up this point with a major kill to keep Melrose on the winning track. Sam Dewey came through following these points for two blocks in a row to put Melrose ahead 8-3. Lombardo continued the all star performance with an un-defendable, coffin corner ace to the back of the Watertown zone, and two more consecutive aces to bring the score to 14-3, Melrose. Emma Randolph was in position late in the set and sent a spike served with extra sauce to the Watertown back zone for a Melrose point and Mary Kate Mahoney put the nail in the second set coffin for the game point bringing the score to a close at 25-9, Melrose.
The final set began with Jill Mercer nailing a serve to start Melrose driving on a one way street to a point streak. Erin Torpey kept up the Melrose domination with two kills and Saoirse Connolly followed up with three ace’s in a row to keep Melrose on the path to victory. Jill Mercer continued to shine on the digs, saving any chances Watertown had at points from hitting the floor. Connolly racked up an overhaul of kills with several spikes set by Lily Fitzgerald who was crucial with the misdirection, setting the ball exactly where Watertown would least expect the spike to come from. One of these crucial Fitzgerald sets sent a perfect ball in the air for Emma Randolph to smack off the Watertown back zone to make the score 17-6, Melrose. As Melrose advanced toward victory, Nicole Abbott served up two aces in a row and Marie Maher followed up these ace’s with one of her own. Claire Albuja and Caroline Kiernan also came in clutch for Melrose as playmakers late in the game and the set finished off with the score at 25-12, Melrose to complete the 3-0 sweep in spectacular fashion on Senior night.
Up next: a trip to Central Catholic on Monday to take on the Raiders (9-9) at 6:15 p.m.
