The Conard men's volleyball team extended its winning streak Wednesday night when it hosted Glastonbury in West Hartford.
Written by Paul Palmer
The Conard boys volleyball team has been on a mission for the past month. The Red Wolves lost their opener against conference foe Farmington on April Fool's Day. Since then, they have only dropped three sets in total, but are on an eight-game winning streak against Glastonbury on Wednesday night, 25-18, 24-26, 25-16, 25-16.
In the final set, Conard took seven points off Tristan McCray's serve to take an 8-0 lead. “That was a lot of momentum for us,” head coach Kelly Lawler said of the start of the game.
The teams were close at 10-8 in the first set, but Conard got hot and Dominik Belyaev scored on a block to take a 14-10 lead. It was 17-12 when the Guardians took a timeout to regroup, but Belyaev's serve made it 19-13 before Glastonbury returned to serve. Brothers Julian and Lucas Hartland distributed the sets well to make it 22-15, but the visitors fought back to make it 22-18. Conard took the set 25-18 due to Glastonbury's long return of serve.
In the second set, neither team was able to convert any runs from serve, resulting in ties at 10, 12, 14, and 16 points. Conard took the first two-point lead of the second set on a 10-8 goal from Aidan Plamondon. The score was 12-9, but Glastonbury were able to score once Paul Brenton's serve hit the tape at the top of the net, making it a one-pond game at 14-13.
Back-to-back points from Jaden Doe and Belyaev gave the Red Wolves a 16-13 lead, but a block from Justin Dadonna tied it at 16 points. It was a close game again with a 1 point difference, all 20 points, then 21, 22, 23, then 2 points. 24-all, and Dadna's kill made it 25-24 Glastonbury. When Daniel Park's return opened up a spot in the Conard defense, the match was tied at 26-24 at one set apiece. “Serving was really our problem, especially in the second set. We gave them too many points,” Lawler said.
Conard took a 7-2 lead early in the third set as Tyler Richards snapped a set from Lucas Hartland. The Red Wolves controlled most of the play, played solid offense and defense at the net, and built a 17-10 lead on Jaden Doe's second chance after his first ball was blocked. was completed. Julian Hartland's serve put the hosts up 21-12, but after multiple service chances and two chances at set point, Plamondon fired the ball from the left side and Conard made it 2-1. he led.
In what was to be the final set, Glastonbury took the opening serve, but Conard took the point. That's when McCray and his guys went on a 7-0 run. By the time Glastonbury recorded his first point on his own serve, it would be 10-3.
Center Julian Hartland set up Belyaev to make it 14-7, forcing the Guardians to call a timeout. But the Guardians refused to go away quietly and fought back 17-10 to 18-14. However, it was too much for Conard to handle and the serving of Julian Hartland and the steady play of Brendan Denault led Conard to a 25-16 victory, with Glastonbury being called for a net violation on the final point.
“Our two setters, Julian and Lucas, have great control and can put the ball where they want it,” Lawler said of the seniors and sophomores.
Conard (currently 8-1) entered this game ranked No. 3 in the state, behind undefeated Simsbury (11-0) and 9-1 Farmington in the CCC. there were. Conard travels to Simsbury on May 6th and will host Simsbury in the final game of the season on May 20th. Sitting in Conard's gym on Wednesday was a scout from Simsbury watching the Red Wolves closely.
For Lawlor, the secret to this year's success was simple. “This group works hard, makes mistakes, and wants to correct them.”
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