Darien Boys Advance to FCIAC Championship

The Darien Boys Volleyball team beat Ridgefield on Wednesday afternoon and earned the right to host New Canaan for the FCIAC Boys Volleyball Championship on Friday.

The Ridgefield game was by far the most intense game of the season for Darien. The Tigers managed to keep the score close throughout, but The Blue Wave took all three sets by scores of 25-20, 25-18, and 25-21.

Zarek Swetye opened the first set by serving an Ace. Then after a long volley on the next point with key blocks by Luke Bradbury and Frank Pirone, Pirone was able to win the point for Darien with a big kill over the middle.

Kills by Bradbury and Trevor Herget, two Aces by Bradbury, a great dig by Isaac McMullin that led to a well-placed tip by Bradbury, ran the score to 7-1 and forced a Ridgefield timeout. The timeout worked. Ridgefield took the next two points and after a little back and forth Darien remained on top 9-4. But then Trevor Herget had an absolute monster of a kill that put Darien up 10-4 and sent a big message to Ridgefield – Darien was dialed in.

Later in the first set Ridgefield got within three points with the score 17-14, but Herget again hit an unreturnable rocket of a kill to put Darien up four. A few points later Herget crushed another one to put Darien up 21-16.

The Tigers clawed back to within two with three unanswered points and forced a Darien timeout.

Ridgefield called a timeout after falling behind 24-20, but it was to no avail as Swetye served up an Ace for the first set win.

Ridgefield jumped out to an early 3-1 lead in the second set. The best Darien could do was equalize the score, but never could gain the lead. When the Tigers pulled ahead 11-9 Darien called a timeout.

Frank Pirone delivered a kill to bring Darien within one and then Griffith Crouse scored on an Ace serve to tie the game at 12 all. Swetye and Trey Davenport then stuffed the ball at the net to put The Blue Wave ahead for the first time 13-12. Then Herget got another kill which forced a Tiger timeout. Another stuff by Herget and Davenport on the next point out of the timeout put Darien up by three. Then Swetye showed why he is one of the top Setters in the state as he blocked a hard kill attempt, dug it out, and set it to Herget for another monster kill and a four point lead. Isaac McMullin then put his quick, athletic reflexes on display to make a fabulous dig on a shot from a cannon. Even though Ridgefield managed to win the point McMullin's dig was one of the best of the season. Herget got the kill on the next point to put The Wave up 17-13. A big spike by Pirone put The Wave on top 19-16. A huge block by Luke Smith extended The Wave’s lead to four. Back to back Aces by Swetye put The Wave up by six and forced a Ridgefield timeout. Darien kept the lead at six on a Bradbury Ace and gave Darien a 24-18 lead. A strong serve by Bradbury resulted in a free ball kill by Herget to end the set and give Darien a two nil lead.

Normally, Darien’s opponents are worn out after losing two sets in row, but the Ridgefield boys are much improved and made a game of it in the third set.

Ridgefield jumped out to an early lead, but Darien fought back to go ahead 4-3. The Tigers were not done, yet, though, and retook the lead 10-7 forcing a Blue Wave timeout.

Ridgefield served up a well-placed Ace to go ahead by four. Both sides exchanged points and with Darien down by two Isaac McMullin displayed his defensive skills at the Libero position again with a terrific pancake save that resulted in a volley and eventually in a block by Luke Smith for a Darien point. The Tigers called a timeout.

Back to back errors by Ridgefield put Darien up 13-12. This was followed by a Swetye Ace.

Neither team could pull ahead by more than one point and with the score tied at 19 Swetye and Davenport came up with a huge block to put Darien ahead.

A soft tip by Ridgefield allowed Swetye, on the right side of the net, to dig and pass to Herget in the back row who was able to set it for Bradbury on the left. Bradbury then delivered an untouchable pinpoint perfect kill along the Ridgefield sideline to put Darien up by two. Herget then made a kill from the ten foot line for a 22-19 Darien lead which forced a Tiger timeout.

Another monster block by Swetye out of the Ridgefield timeout just about sealed the deal as The Wave moved ahead 23-19.

Zarek Swetye celebrates a monster block

The Tigers were not going to give up, though, and they scored the next point. However, The Wave, dominant throughout, made easy work of a soft Tiger serve which set up Pirone for a huge kill and a 24-20 lead.

The Tigers again fought back and won the next point, but it was too little too late. Pirone scored the winning point with a big kill from the left side.

The Ridgefield Tigers bow out of the FCIAC tourney with a 12-7 record. Their next stop will be the first round of the state playoffs.

The Blue Wave will host the 16-3 New Canaan Rams on Friday for the FCIAC Championship. New Canaan knocked off Trumbull on Wednesday night in five difficult sets in the semifinal round of the FCIAC tourney. Trumbull will move on to states next with a 15-4 record.

The Darien Boys have lost only two sets the entire season and both of those came at the hands of New Canaan. This will be New Canaan's first ever trip to the FCIAC Championship in Boys Volleyball. Not only is the FCIAC Championship on the line, but The Rams are also Darien's biggest rival. Expect this championship matchup to be the most intense FCIAC game of the season.

The game will be broadcast on YouTube by DAF Media at 4:00 p.m. on Friday.