Reclaim trophy with 3-1 win over Danvers; 1 win away from States
Published in the November 17, 2017 edition
D2 NORTH Champs once again. Melrose defeated Danvers 3-1 to recapture their 8th Div. 2 North Championship in 15 years. Pictured celebrating from bottom left: head coach Scott Celli, Nicole Abbott, Mary Kate Mahoney, Marie Maher, Caroline Kieran, Jill Mercer and asst. coach Ryan Schmitt. Top row left: Lily Fitzgerald, Emily Hudson, Erin Torpey, Emma Randolph, Saoirse Connolly, Grace Davis, Claire Albuja, Sam Dewey and Lydia Lombardo. (Steve Karampalas photo)
By JENNIFER GENTILE
MELROSE—After a five year drought, the MIAA Div. 2 North volleyball trophy is back in Melrose High School’s hands.
The Melrose High Lady Raiders became 2017 Div. 2 North champions after defeating fourth-ranked Danvers, 3-1, at the Div. 2 North Sectional Finals on Saturday, Nov. 11 at Whittier Tech in Haverhill. It represents the team’s eighth Div. 2 North title in 15 seasons.
Melrose prevailed in four sets of 25-19, 19-25, 25-16 and 25-22, behind hitters Emma Randolph (13 kills) and Saoirse Connolly (12 kills) while setter Lily Fitzgerald helped guide the team with 29 assists. Offensively, it was the most collaborative effort of the season with game-changing kills from Lydia Lombardo and Erin Torpey and powerful service runs from Lombardo and Fitzgerald that closed the door on the Falcons.
After the match, Melrose head coach Scott Celli soaked it in. “It’s been five years since our last title, so this feels good. We feel like it’s our trophy. And we’re happy to have it another year.”
With the win, Melrose is slated at press time to face Div. 2 West champ Minnechaug in the D2 State Semifinals this Wednesday at Fitchburg High (post deadline). Should they prevail, they will advance to the Div. 2 State Finals at Worcester State (time TBD, venue subject to change) on Saturday, Nov. 18 to reclaim their state championship title earned in 2012. (fans are encouraged to visit www.miaa.net for up to date scheduling)
Sophomore hitter Emma Randolph, who scored the game winning shot in set 4, thinks Melrose has what it takes to bring it home. “We’ve been more aggressive in our hitting between today and against Arlington Catholic, and I think we can go all the way. This is our year.”
Randolph brought power hitting up front throughout the day. ″Emma was awesome today,” says Celli. “That last point was a planned play to go to her, because we felt like they didn’t have anybody that could stop her. We knew [Danvers] would be a good opponent.”
A 9-0 service run by Lily Fitzgerald in set 4 took the air out of the Falcons game at a critical time. The fire of her serving gave Melrose a lead that Danvers ultimately could not come back from.
After the game, Danvers coach George LeVasseur tipped his hat to Melrose. “We lost to Melrose two years ago. It was only our third year as a program. We knew they were gong to be strong. Lily [Fitzgerald] is one of the best setters we’ve seen out of this area in a very, very long time and she served phenomenal. But we’re very young. We only have two seniors this year, so to make it to the North final speaks volumes.”
For Celli, the difference in the day was serving. “Our serving [flipped the switch]. Lily, Lydia and Nicole [Abbott] served the ball well and it turned the match around, put them on the defensive. We didn’t do that in game two, we struggled passing the ball and give them [Danvers] credit, they took advantage of it.”
All through the day Melrose had to contend with a tough Danvers Abby Skinner, a tall hitter with 12 kills who forced Melrose to the brink several times. Danvers junior libero Grace Leete also impressed. But Melrose’s defense was exceptional in the last two sets with key block kills from Connolly, Lombardo, Randolph and Abigail Hudson along with tremendous back row defense by Mary Kate Mahoney and an amped up performance by libero Jill Mercer.
Now, as Melrose moves on to vie for States, they pick up their 23rd win of the season with a record of 23-2. Danvers goes home with a final season record of 20-2.
One thing is for sure, this will not be the last time Melrose/Danvers slug it out in a Div. 2 North game. Melrose has four seniors and tremendous sophomore class while Danvers has just two seniors. Predicts Celli, “They’re young, we’re young. I don’t think we are done with these guys.”
As far as a Div. 2 North rematch?
See you in 2018.
