University of Delaware Athletics
Photo by: Mark Campbell
2021 Delaware Volleyball Year-In-Review
12/9/2021 3:00:00 PM | Volleyball
NEWARK, Del. – What a season it was! The University of Delaware volleyball team closed out the 2021 campaign Nov. 19, making its 11th conference semifinals berth since entering the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) in 2001.
WELCOME NEWBIES
The freshman class of four consisted of Emily Chrysogelos, Mackenzie Sobczyk, Hannah Wright and Julia Zalta. Making her collegiate debut vs. Villanova (Aug. 28), Wright finished her rookie season with 22 digs, seven points, seven aces and three assists in 29 sets played. Sobczyk made her first collegiate appearance against James Madison (Sept. 18) and closed out the season totaling 18 points, 14 kills, six blocks and two assists in 15 sets played. Chrysogelos will look to make her first-ever appearance on the Bob Carpenter Center hardwood next season.
GOING DOWN IN HISTORY
Setter Ezgi Basaranlar added her name to the record books as she became the ninth player in program history to surpass the 2,000-career assist mark against UMBC (Nov. 4). Basaranlar closed out her junior campaign with 2,060 career assists. AND THE AWARD GOES TO... Junior outside hitter Lani Mason took home first team accolades while her classmates' Basaranlar and opposite/outside hitter Lauryn Richardson both landed on the second team.
Mason put together a memorable junior season as she led the squad with 344 kills (3.37 k/per set) and 404.5 points (3.97 pts/per set) while ranking second among the team with 245 digs (2.40 digs/per set) in 102 sets played. Mason posted eight double-doubles (kills/digs) and registered 10 or more kills in 16 matches, including putting together three 20+ kill performances highlighted by a season-best 22 kills against Temple (Aug. 27). With her performance on the court, Mason was recognized by the conference four times as the top offensive player of the week.
In charge of directing the Blue Hen offense was Basaranlar as she led the team with 774 assists (8.60 a/per set) and .313 attacking percentage in 90 sets played. Basaranlar recorded three double-doubles (assists/digs) and dished out double-digit assists in 26 of her 27 appearances, including a season-high 52 assists against James Madison (Sept. 19).
Richardson ranked third among her teammates with 214 kills (2.10 k/per set), 240 points (2.35 pts/per set) and 49 blocks (.48 blk/per set) in 102 sets played. Richardson had 10 or more kills in six matches, including nailing down a season-best 14 kills in back-to-back matches at Towson, and had 3+ blocks in seven matches, highlighted by a season-high six block performance against UMES (Sept. 4).
NOTABLE MENTIONS
Outside hitter Savannah Seemans put together quite a showing her sophomore campaign as she led the team with 45 services aces (.44 sa/per set) while ranking second with 273 kills (2.68 k/per set) and third with 221 digs (2.17 dig/p set). Seemans had six double-doubles (kills/digs), including posting a career-best 20 kills with 13 digs against Charleston (Oct. 24). She also served a career-best seven aces against UMES (Sept. 4) which helped her later in the season tie for third among the NCAA leaders in total aces and fifth in aces per set through games played Sept. 13. A few weeks later playing games through Oct. 10, the Blue Hens led the nation in team services aces and ranked second in aces per set. Anchoring Delaware's defense was defensive specialist/libero Katie Turner, as she concluded her final year in a Delaware uniform scooping up a team-leading 367 digs (3.60 dig/per set) while standing tall for the Blue & Gold was blocking duo of Grace Underwood's team-high 102 blocks (1.10 blk/per set) and Kirah Johnson's 94 blocks (.93 blk/per set).
Catching everyone off guard in a good way was Delaware's bench with their unique celebration/bench routines, which received attention from NCAA Women's Volleyball social media platforms BLUE HENS IN THE COMMUNITY - #SOMUCHHOPE
Head coach Sara Matthews took her Blue Hens to her alma mater Sept.9-11 to participate in Kansas Invitational. Aside from looking to bring three wins back to Newark, Matthews also wanted to help bring awareness to a cause that is important to the program - Childhood Cancer. Matthews created a space for her former teammate/roommate Kim Stanley and her daughter Callyn to tell their story about #SoMuchHope. The full story can be found here.
THE CONCLUSION
Delaware closed out the regular season in strong fashion by winning nine of its last 12 matches, earning the fourth seed in the CAA Tournament. The Blue Hens downed the fifth-seeded Northeastern in straight sets to advance to the semifinals; before falling 3-0 to top-seeded and eventual champions Towson that concluded the 2021 fall season with a 15-13 overall record and 8-8 in conference play.
The Blue & Gold led the conference in service aces (220; 2.16 per set) and ranked as a team fourth in aces per set and sixth in team service aces among the NCAA Division I statistical leaders.
THANK YOU SENIORS
The Blue Hens would like to thank their senior class for everything they have given to the program. Adelina Rivera, Katie Turner and Grace Underwood –thank you for giving our University so many outstanding memories!
BLUE HENS on SOCIAL MEDIA
For the latest on the University of Delaware Volleyball, follow the Blue Hens via social media on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. #BlueHens
WELCOME NEWBIES
The freshman class of four consisted of Emily Chrysogelos, Mackenzie Sobczyk, Hannah Wright and Julia Zalta. Making her collegiate debut vs. Villanova (Aug. 28), Wright finished her rookie season with 22 digs, seven points, seven aces and three assists in 29 sets played. Sobczyk made her first collegiate appearance against James Madison (Sept. 18) and closed out the season totaling 18 points, 14 kills, six blocks and two assists in 15 sets played. Chrysogelos will look to make her first-ever appearance on the Bob Carpenter Center hardwood next season.
GOING DOWN IN HISTORY
Setter Ezgi Basaranlar added her name to the record books as she became the ninth player in program history to surpass the 2,000-career assist mark against UMBC (Nov. 4). Basaranlar closed out her junior campaign with 2,060 career assists. AND THE AWARD GOES TO... Junior outside hitter Lani Mason took home first team accolades while her classmates' Basaranlar and opposite/outside hitter Lauryn Richardson both landed on the second team.
Mason put together a memorable junior season as she led the squad with 344 kills (3.37 k/per set) and 404.5 points (3.97 pts/per set) while ranking second among the team with 245 digs (2.40 digs/per set) in 102 sets played. Mason posted eight double-doubles (kills/digs) and registered 10 or more kills in 16 matches, including putting together three 20+ kill performances highlighted by a season-best 22 kills against Temple (Aug. 27). With her performance on the court, Mason was recognized by the conference four times as the top offensive player of the week.
In charge of directing the Blue Hen offense was Basaranlar as she led the team with 774 assists (8.60 a/per set) and .313 attacking percentage in 90 sets played. Basaranlar recorded three double-doubles (assists/digs) and dished out double-digit assists in 26 of her 27 appearances, including a season-high 52 assists against James Madison (Sept. 19).
Richardson ranked third among her teammates with 214 kills (2.10 k/per set), 240 points (2.35 pts/per set) and 49 blocks (.48 blk/per set) in 102 sets played. Richardson had 10 or more kills in six matches, including nailing down a season-best 14 kills in back-to-back matches at Towson, and had 3+ blocks in seven matches, highlighted by a season-high six block performance against UMES (Sept. 4).
NOTABLE MENTIONS
Outside hitter Savannah Seemans put together quite a showing her sophomore campaign as she led the team with 45 services aces (.44 sa/per set) while ranking second with 273 kills (2.68 k/per set) and third with 221 digs (2.17 dig/p set). Seemans had six double-doubles (kills/digs), including posting a career-best 20 kills with 13 digs against Charleston (Oct. 24). She also served a career-best seven aces against UMES (Sept. 4) which helped her later in the season tie for third among the NCAA leaders in total aces and fifth in aces per set through games played Sept. 13. A few weeks later playing games through Oct. 10, the Blue Hens led the nation in team services aces and ranked second in aces per set. Anchoring Delaware's defense was defensive specialist/libero Katie Turner, as she concluded her final year in a Delaware uniform scooping up a team-leading 367 digs (3.60 dig/per set) while standing tall for the Blue & Gold was blocking duo of Grace Underwood's team-high 102 blocks (1.10 blk/per set) and Kirah Johnson's 94 blocks (.93 blk/per set).
Catching everyone off guard in a good way was Delaware's bench with their unique celebration/bench routines, which received attention from NCAA Women's Volleyball social media platforms BLUE HENS IN THE COMMUNITY - #SOMUCHHOPE
Head coach Sara Matthews took her Blue Hens to her alma mater Sept.9-11 to participate in Kansas Invitational. Aside from looking to bring three wins back to Newark, Matthews also wanted to help bring awareness to a cause that is important to the program - Childhood Cancer. Matthews created a space for her former teammate/roommate Kim Stanley and her daughter Callyn to tell their story about #SoMuchHope. The full story can be found here.
THE CONCLUSION
Delaware closed out the regular season in strong fashion by winning nine of its last 12 matches, earning the fourth seed in the CAA Tournament. The Blue Hens downed the fifth-seeded Northeastern in straight sets to advance to the semifinals; before falling 3-0 to top-seeded and eventual champions Towson that concluded the 2021 fall season with a 15-13 overall record and 8-8 in conference play.
The Blue & Gold led the conference in service aces (220; 2.16 per set) and ranked as a team fourth in aces per set and sixth in team service aces among the NCAA Division I statistical leaders.
THANK YOU SENIORS
The Blue Hens would like to thank their senior class for everything they have given to the program. Adelina Rivera, Katie Turner and Grace Underwood –thank you for giving our University so many outstanding memories!
BLUE HENS on SOCIAL MEDIA
For the latest on the University of Delaware Volleyball, follow the Blue Hens via social media on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. #BlueHens
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