Archmere volleyball officially played its first official home game in the Moglia Fieldhouse, with the newly renovated floors, on Friday, October 18th, the start of Archmere’s Homecoming weekend. The team faced #3 in the state St. Mark’s and battled in 5 sets, ultimately losing the 5th set to the Spartans 15-11. Although the Auks were not victorious, the night was about more than just the game. The game was in memory of the late Mr. Michael Johnson, beloved Archmere math teacher famous for his Auk spirit. All 9th grade, JV, and Varsity players wore special Archmere volleyball navy blue warm-up shirts and navy blue hair ribbons to honor Johnson’s legacy. These shirts were also sold outside in the gym lobby, and all funding went to colon cancer research. The student section also sported navy blue. Before the game, team captain Abby Im shared Johnson’s story and the positive impact he imprinted on Archmere. “The energy was electric. It allowed the team to feed off the energy which helped us in the long run” said libero Kennedy Harrington.
In the 2nd set, senior Claire McGonigle fed off of the enthusiasm, going on a 13-point serving run. The students chanted “MVP” as McGonigle was subbed in the next 3 sets. The energy in the gym was unmatched; both teams fought back and forth the entire game. The student section did not disappoint, helping the team make further strides against the Spartans. “Even though the outcome was not what we wanted, we are honestly just so happy to be back in our gym and look forward to playoffs” said Im. The volleyball team will play First State Military away on Thursday, October 24th, and then will wait to be seeded for the playoffs. 

Update: The 11th-ranked Auks advanced to the quarter-finals of the state tournament, defeating Conrad and Newark Charter, and losing to the eventual State Champs Tower Hill.