PANTEGO — The Terra Ceia volleyball team opened its season at home with a 3-1 loss to the Hobgood Raiders on Tuesday.

With just seven players on a veteran varsity roster, head coach Kristina Van Staalduinen admits she’s in the beginning stages of building her team’s chemistry and familiarity with a new rotation. On the other hand, a taller Raiders squad has already played three games prior to Tuesday, as it was able to operate more cohesively down the stretch.

“It really depends on who gets to serve,” Van Staalduinen said. “If they’re serving, I have one lineup and if we’re serving I have another, so it just depends. For our first game of the season, I felt really good. The girls have worked really hard learning a new rotation.”

After being down early in the first game, senior Jessalyn Bowen came through with a few key hits, as Terra Ceia fought back and locked up a 25-23 win to begin the match.

But Hobgood would energetically respond, notching 25-12 and 25-13 wins in the second and third games, respectively.

“Hobgood had height on us,” Van Staalduinen said. “ We need to keeping working harder and work on our defense against height moving forward.”

Supported by athletic play from Catherine Meijer and consistent defense from Mollie Hubers, Terra Ceia powered their way back in the fourth game, but couldn’t close. Hobgood defeated the Knights 25-23 in the final game to take the match.

Bowen finished with three kills, four aces, two digs and a block, while Hubers notched a team-high six digs. Senior Ragan LeFever also finished with four kills and a dig.

Another chapter of a historic rivalry will be written today when Terra Ceia hosts the Pungo Raiders at 5 p.m.