Diocese of Wilmington Catholic schools products help University of Delaware open volleyball season — Photo gallery

The University of Delaware volleyball team, powered in part by three women who starred at Catholic schools in the Diocese of Wilmington, opened its season with an enthralling 3-2 loss in Philadelphia Aug. 26 against host Temple University.

Led by outside hitter junior Savannah Seemans, a Saints Mark’s High School graduate, the Blue Hens jumped ahead by winning two of the first three games in the match. After the Owls knotted the set at two apiece, it came down to the first-to-15 final game. The Hens had an early lead but fell in the end at a raucous McGonigle Hall.

The Blue Hens fell again in Philadelphia the next day in a 3-1 decision vs. Seton Hall University.

Aside from Seemans, Delaware also got contributions from sophomore Mackenzie Sobczyk, a Padua Academy graduate, and sophomore Hannah Wright out of Archmere Academy.

The Hens open their home schedule Aug. 31 at the Bob Carpenter Center at 5 p.m. against George Washington University.