The Conard boys volleyball team hosted Glastonbury in West Hartford on Wednesday night, extending their winning streak.

Julian Hartland follows through as Glastonbury players set the block. Conard vs. Glastonbury volleyball. May 1, 2024. Photo credit: Paul Palmer

By Paul Palmer

The Conard boys volleyball team has been on a mission for the last month. The Red Wolves dropped their season opener to conference foe Farmington on April Fools Day. Since then, they have dropped a total of just three sets while running off an eight-game win streak that claimed Glastonbury on Wednesday night 25-18, 24-26, 25-16, 25-16.

The final set saw Conard jump out to an 8-0 lead, scoring seven points off the serve of Tristan McClay. “That was a lot of momentum for us,” said head coach Kerry Roller of the start.

Tristan McClay (22) of Conard beats the Glastonbury block. Conard vs. Glastonbury volleyball. May 1, 2024. Photo credit: Paul Palmer

In the opening set, the two sides were close through 10-8, but Conard got hot and when Dominic Belyaev scored on the block, the lead was 14-10. It was 17-12 when the Guardians called a time out to regroup, but Belyaev served 19-13 before Glastonbury was back on serve. Brothers Julian and Lucas Hartland distributed well with their sets to get it to 22-15 before the visitors fought back to 22-18. Conard took the set at 25-18 when a Glastonbury return of serve went long.

The second set saw the teams tied through 10, 12, 14, and 16 points as neither could make any run off their serve. Conard took the first two-point lead of the second set on Aidan Plamondon’s kill at 10-8. It went to 12-9 before Glastonbury cut it back down to a one-pont game at 14-13 when  Paul Brenton’s served hit the tape at the top of the net and fell in for the point.

Teammates congratulate Tyler Richards (13) after winning a point agaisnt Glastonbury. Conard vs. Glastonbury volleyball. May 1, 2024. Photo credit: Paul Palmer

Back-to-back from Jayden Du and Belyaev gave the Red Wolves the 16-13 lead, but Justin Dadonna’s block tied things at 16. It was a one-point battle again to 20-all, then 21, 22, 23, and 24-all, and Dadonna’s kill made it 25-24 Glastonbury. When Daniel Park’s return found the open spot in the Conard defense it was 26-24 and a tie at one set apiece. “Serving was really our issue, especially in that second set. We game them too many points,” Roller said.

Conard ran out to a 7-2 lead early in the third set when Tyler Richards put away Lucas Hartland’s set. The Red Wolves controlled  most of the play and with solid play on offense and defense at the net managed to build a 17-10 lead when Jayden Du managed to put the point away on a second chance after his initial ball was blocked. Julian Hartland served the hosts to 21-12 but it took multiple serving opportunities and two chances at set point before Plamondon put it away from the left side to make it a Conard 2-1 lead.

In what would be the final set, Glastonbury had the opening serve, but Conard took the point. That’s when McClay and company went on a 7-0 run. It would be 10-3 before Glastonbury would record its first point on its own serve.

Brandan Denault of Conard makes the pass from the middle. Conard vs. Glastonbury volleyball. May 1, 2024. Photo credit: Paul Palmer

Julian Hartland’s center set to Belyaev made it 14-7 and forced the Guardians to take a timeout. The Guardians refused to go away quietly though, and fought back 17-10 to 18-14. But Conard was just too much to handle and the serving of Julian Hartland and the solid play of Brendan Denault helped guide Conard to the 25-16 win with Glastonbury being called for a net violation on the final point.

“Our two setters, Julian, and Lucas, have great control and put the ball where they want,” Roller said of the senior and sophomore.

Entering the match Conard (now 8-1) was ranked third in the state but sitting behind unbeaten Simsbury (11-0) and 9-1 Farmington in the CCC. Conard travels to Simsbury on May 6, and hosts them in the season finale on May 20. Sitting in the seats in the Conard gym Wednesday was a scout from Simsbury getting a good look at the Red Wolves.

For Roller, the secret to success has been simple this year “This group works hard and it hey make mistakes, they want to fix it.”

Tristan McClay goes high for the attempted winner. Conard vs. Glastonbury volleyball. May 1, 2024. Photo credit: Paul Palmer

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