Girls Volleyball Hosts Playday and Looks for Strong Season

By Amanda Sload

The Darien Girls Volleyball team hosted a ten-team Playday Saturday (10/7), which featured the best teams in the state of Connecticut.  The four defending Connecticut champions were in attendance: Coventry of Class S, Ledyard of Class M, Bristol East, champion of L and Darien, the 2012 victor of class LL.  Each team played 9 matches, a long day of seven hours of competition.

"It was an exciting and exhausting day of volleyball, but there's no better way to prepare for our season then playing the best teams in the state," said junior co-captain, Celia Martzolf.  "We have a brand new team and it's really important to build court chemistry before we open our season at Newtown on Tuesday".

The 2013-14 squad, a young and aggressive team, is led by captain and lone senior Nicole Schmidt.  Schmidt will be the go-to outside hitter for Darien, which lost 7 seniors to graduation last year. Martzolf saw considerable time as a sophomore setter and will need to use that experience to lead a very young team.  

Juniors Claire Naughton and Keli Reyes also saw time last year and will be key components if Darien wants to repeat as State LL and FCIAC champions.  Sophomores Izzy Taylor and Anna Barsanti will see a lot of time and impressed at Saturday’s Playday.  Juniors Emily Milukas and Yasi Owainati will be called upon to produce, as well as sophomores Colleen Howe, Caroline Tortorella, Emily Coyle, Kate Richter, Caroline Crosby and freshmen Sami Huff and Kitty Crosby.  

Darien opens their 2013-2014 season on the road Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. against Newtown and travels to Westhill on Friday for a key match up.  

Coach LaRusso enters her 32nd season with over 600 wins, 16 state championships, 17 FCIAC championships and a staggering 293-5 record over the past 12 seasons.  

"Pressure?  We don't see it as pressure; we see it as motivation to keep the tradition going,” said Martzolf.

Photo caption: Darien competes in Saturday’s Playday