Darien Boys Aim For Perfect Season On Senior Night

Thursday afternoon could be a perfect day for the Darien Blue Wave Boys Volleyball Seniors… and Juniors… and Sophomores… and Freshmen.

The Blue Wave volleyball team is the only remaining team in Class L that can go undefeated. The Wave are currently 16-0 and riding a 35 game regular season winning streak.

The Wave Boys will host Staples on Thursday at 4:00 p.m. It will be Senior Day and a perfect record would be a terrific way to end the regular season – the first in program history. Additionally, the Boys volleyball team is the only DHS team in any sport that can go undefeated this season. There is a lot riding on this game.

Seniors Michael Dolcetti, Will Olson, Frank Pirone, Colin Rebello, and Zarek Swetye will be doing all they can to put the brakes on any hope that the Wreckers can spoil Darien's perfect season.

Staples cannot be taken lightly. They come into today’s game with a record of 13-3 with their only losses coming to a very strong New Canaan team 3-0, Trumbull 3-0, and earlier this season to number one ranked Darien 3-0. Darien beat New Canaan both times they met season, but New Canaan did manage to win one set in each meeting, and they’re the only team to win a set against Darien this season. Darien blanked Trumbull and Staples earlier this season. All of that amounts to the fact that Darien should be favored to win this game.

Staples travels to Darien boasting a six game winning streak. However, Staples did lose one set during that run to lightly regarded Norwalk and Greenwich teams. They lost two sets this season to Ridgefield while Darien shut out Ridgefield in both meetings. Darien shut out Norwalk and Greenwich, although, Coach Miller of Norwalk (a Trumbull High School standout) has built a great foundation for her team. This is only Norwalk’s first season, yet, they have won four games. Even so, Staples losing a set to Norwalk means Darien should be able to win this game, but bigger upsets have happened. Darien still needs to bring their “A” game.

Darien at Norwalk Highlights

If Darien is going to win they need to maintain their poise and not let their emotions get the best of them to the point where it drives them to try to do too much as individuals. This has been the downfall of every team that has played Darien. Every opponent knows Darien is the best team in the state and they come into the first set fired up. Often, the score of the first set is close, but no team has been able to maintain that level of emotion for an entire match. Darien just remains workmanlike and wears down their opponents.

Darien’s strength is that they are capable at every position. The Blue Wave hitters are some of the best in the state and are like a tidal wave – impossible to stop. The Middle Hitters are Senior Captain Frank Pirone and Sophomore Trey Davenport. The Outside Hitters are Junior Captain Luke Bradbury and Sophomore standout Trevor Herget. Freshman Right Hitter Griffith Crouse has steadily improved since day one and has done an outstanding job getting kills from the right side. Sophomore rookie Libero Isaac McMullin is often the first line of defense. His agility and quickness allows him to dig the most difficult hits. McMullin, Herget, and Bradbury lead the team in digs and they have a very difficult job. Not only do they have to dig a hard hit ball, but they have to pass it to Senior Captain and Setter Zarek Swetye so that he can set the ball for the Hitters. Darien has the good fortune to have four outstanding hitters and that makes it difficult for any opponent to defend against them because The Wave attack can come from anywhere on the court.

The bottom line for Darien is to keep in mind that even though the Staples team is not the toughest they have faced this season, they might pose the biggest challenge because of what is at stake. Staples would love to play the role of spoiler. A Darien loss will mean the end of a perfect season and will leave them with only a memory of what might have been. A win will give DHS Boys Volleyball team an undefeated season and memories for a lifetime. A win will make history.