At 6-foot-7, Dolan Comforti towers over the net—a presence that makes him a force to be reckoned with on the volleyball court. But the Nipmuc-Valley Tech junior setter didn't always expect to be this tall. "I was never estimated to be this tall," Comforti said. "It took me by surprise; it took my parents by surprise."

Comforti's growth spurt began in earnest during his freshman year, when he shot up five inches. He's added another six since then, bringing him to his current towering height. While his stature is a blessing on the court—especially when he spikes the ball straight to the floor for a kill—it hasn't come without challenges. "Shoe shopping's never been easy because you can't go into stores anymore," he joked.

The rapid growth also caused physical strain. Comforti played through a taped left wrist and a compression sleeve on his left knee during a recent 3-1 win over Southeastern Voc Tech at BVT. "My body wasn't ready for that," he said of the back pain that accompanied his growth. "It was a lot, but I would never take my height for granted. I know that I'm blessed with my natural height."

Comforti's talent has made him a standout in the program. He recently became the first NVT player to reach 1,000 career assists—a milestone that was within reach for Cody Porter before the pandemic cut his senior season short. NVT coach Brian Gerard calls Comforti "the complete package." "When he came in as a freshman, I'm like 'hel-lo,'" Gerard said. "He's gotten bigger every single year. He's country strong. He can set from everywhere on the court."

NVT is a co-op team made up mostly of players from Blackstone Valley Tech, though most home matches are played at Nipmuc, just a short walk down Pleasant Street. The team played four matches at BVT last season, winning them all, but this year's matchup was the only one scheduled there. In Thursday's contest, NVT won the first set 25-21 and rallied from a 24-17 deficit in the second set, scoring seven straight points to tie it at 25-all. Comforti's kill put his team ahead, and a service winner by Evan Donlon sealed the 27-25 victory.

"That's one of those character-building moments," Gerard said of the late rally. Comforti echoed that sentiment, crediting the team's depth and confidence. "We have a lot of great players; we all know what we're capable of," he said.