Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Austin Cockerill plays for Darien during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Austin Cockerill plays for Darien during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Darien's Calder Billhardt plays during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Darien's Calder Billhardt plays during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Matt Lee plays for Darien during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Matt Lee plays for Darien during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Staples coach Jon Shepro talks to his team during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Staples coach Jon Shepro talks to his team during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Staples players celebrate a point during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Staples players celebrate a point during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Staples players gather in a huddle during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Staples players gather in a huddle during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Darien's Calder Billhardt plays during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Darien's Calder Billhardt plays during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Sean Lee dives for the ball for Darien during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Sean Lee dives for the ball for Darien during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Darien's Matt Collier tips the ball over the net during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Darien's Matt Collier tips the ball over the net during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Austin Cockerill plays for Darien during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Austin Cockerill plays for Darien during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Staples' Emerson Lovell reaches to set the ball during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Staples' Emerson Lovell reaches to set the ball during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Darien's Calder Billhardt, left, and Sam Bryant, right, reach to block the ball as it is spiked by Staples' Jonah Aelyon during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Darien's Calder Billhardt, left, and Sam Bryant, right, reach to block the ball as it is spiked by Staples' Jonah Aelyon during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Matt Lee plays for Darien during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Matt Lee plays for Darien during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Matt Lee, left, and Calder Billhardt, right, both miss the ball during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Matt Lee, left, and Calder Billhardt, right, both miss the ball during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Darien's Ryan Stracuzzi dives for the ball during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Darien's Ryan Stracuzzi dives for the ball during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Staples coach Jon Shepro talks to his team during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Staples coach Jon Shepro talks to his team during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Darien players celebrate a point during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Darien players celebrate a point during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Darien players celebrate a point during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Darien players celebrate a point during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Darien's Calder Billhardt plays during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Darien's Calder Billhardt plays during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Sean Lee dives for the ball for Darien during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Sean Lee dives for the ball for Darien during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Darien players gather in a huddle during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Darien players gather in a huddle during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Darien coach Laurie LaRusso watches her team during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Darien coach Laurie LaRusso watches her team during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Staples' Jonah Aelyon reaches for the ball during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Staples' Jonah Aelyon reaches for the ball during Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg
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Darien players celebrate their win after Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Darien players celebrate their win after Friday's game against Staples High School at Darien High School on May 6, 2011.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg

On a sun-soaked afternoon that was perfectly suited for a beach volleyball match, the Staples and Darien boys volleyball teams stayed indoors for their much-anticipated FCIAC battle Friday on the Blue Wave's home court. Unfortunately, for the Wreckers, the picture-perfect day turned dark as they lost, 3-1.

"We made a lot of mistakes, " said Staples coach John Shepro. "Darien played fantastic, give them credit. But it just wasn't our day today."

Staples had owned every day and every match against Darien. They had never lost to the Blue Wave. Ever. It appeared they'd keep the streak going last Friday as they came out sharp, winning the first game, 25-19.

"We were really together in the first game, our blocks were strong," said Andrens Bub of Staples, who had seven kills. "Unfortunately, we kind of fell apart."

Staples came undone thanks to the inspired play of Darien's Calder Billhardt and Austin Cockerill. The senior stars, who had gone their entire careers without beating the Wreckers, were sensational. They combined for 10 kills to lead.

the Blue Wave to a 25-17 win, thus evening the match at 1-1.

"They're two great players, absolutely," said Shepro. "They find the holes, through the blocks, around the blocks. They were tough to stop."

There was no stopping Darien after that. Playing before a raucous and rowdy home crowd, the Blue Wave fed off the energy and won the third game 25-22, despite the strong play of Jonah Aelyon, who had four of his 12 kills in the game. Darien notched the game on a beautiful no-look, behind-the-head drop shot by Matt Lee, which the Blue Wave used to turn the tide.

"We kind of let the momentum work against," said Daniel Fishman of Staples. "We just made a lot of errors that we couldn't recover from."

The Wreckers couldn't bounce back from that back-breaking shot by Lee. They fell behind Darien 21-12 in the final game, and despite a small rally, they dropped it 25-20, and ultimately the match.

"It feels kind of bad right now," said the senior Bub. "But if you look at the big picture, that's their first victory against us, ever. We still have a stranglehold on the rivalry."

With the loss, Staples dropped to 11-2, while Darien improved to 12-1. There's more than a good chance of these teams meeting again in the FCIAC final.