FAIRFIELD — After winning a school record 37 matches last year and advancing to the Supersectional, Fairfield head volleyball coach Chet Snyder thinks this year’s team has a chance to be special as well.

If they get the chance to play.

This was scheduled to be the final week of the regular season. Due to the pandemic, volleyball has been moved to the spring. Instead, the Lady Mules wrapped up their fall contact days with a high level intra-squad scrimmage. They played four sets, and it lasted nearly two hours.

The Lady Mules return seven seniors from last year’s record setting squad. Add in some impact freshmen, and the competition for playing time will be intense. Figuring out playing time for so many quality options classifies as a good problem for Snyder.

This was not an ordinary scrimmage. The players wore their uniforms with the roster introduced beforehand with special recognition for the seniors. Parents of the seniors were the only fans allowed in to watch. The players say they were grateful for the opportunity just in case they don’t get another chance to play.

Afterward, the players took down the net and put it away. It will be a long few months of waiting and wondering if they’ll be able to get that net back out when practice is scheduled to begin in mid-February.