Last year, the volleyball team at Dartmouth High School advanced to the final four of the competitive division II tournament for the first time in the program’s history. 

Head coach Rachel Lassey said she doesn’t want to jinx the team with any promises of success this year, but with an experienced returning squad full of eight seniors, Dartmouth could make a “solid run” in the tournament again in 2023. 

They’re certainly on the right track so far: the Indians have not lost a single set this season in their first four games, beating Old Rochester Regional, New Bedford, Brockton and North Quincy high schools. 

“Mentally, we’re in such a great place because every single player on the court has been through the emotions of wins and losses and playing against tough teams at a high level,” Lassey said. 

Just like last season, Dartmouth’s defense will be a decisive difference maker. 

“We always pride ourselves on having a strong defense,” Lassey said. 

The Indians’ defense will hinge on senior and captain Gaby Velazquez as the team’s libero, along with senior and captain Brooke Davis, senior Olivia Arruda, senior Victoria Carvalho and senior Alaina Strozik. 

An experienced, older team not only translates to stronger instincts and technique, but stronger chemistry on and off the court. 

In preparation for the season, Lassey had all the players fill out individual surveys about their goals for the year, and “all of them pretty much said the same thing.”

Some of the players have known each other since elementary school. 

“The power of trust and support and love is something that’s really going to get us through any of the obstacles that we are going to face on and off the court,” Lassey said. “They’re not just rooting for their own success, they’re rooting for each other every day.”

The season’s toughest challenges are yet to come. By design, Dartmouth has a formidable non-league schedule. 

“We definitely set ourselves up so that we’re facing adversity throughout the entire season,” Lassey said. 

On Friday, Sept. 29, Barnstable High School will seek revenge against Dartmouth for last season, when the Indians defeated the powerhouse division I team for the first time in Lassey’s 13-year coaching history. 

Dartmouth, in turn, will attempt its own reprisal Oct. 2 against Westborough High School, which knocked the team out of the final four during last year’s state tournament. 

While the Indians are undefeated so far, that doesn’t mean they’ve gone without a challenge. Dartmouth had to “battle back” against Brockton after some unforced errors, Lassey said, which is something the team will need to clean up throughout the season. 

“When you play a really talented team, you cannot make those types of errors, there’s no wiggle room for that,” Lassey said. “We just have to be able to control what we can control.”

Dartmouth Volleyball’s next game is at 5:15 p.m. on Sept. 20 at Durfee High School.