Lakers Sweep on Sophomore Day for 8th Straight Win
CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. - It was a busy day in the Putt Moore Gymnasium for the FLCC women's volleyball team who hosted their final NJCAA Region III pod tournament of the regular season. The Lakers opened the day with their "Back to the Game" volleyball alumni event. The Lakers welcomed several former volleyball student-athletes to take part in what turned out the be an eventful day. The Lakers opened with an alumni match which featured 14 Lakers alumni. The team took the opportunity to unveil their 2022 NJCAA Region III championship banner and championship rings at the event. The day also served as a sophomore day for student-athletes Brooke DeGroff (Castile, N.Y./ Letchworth), Kierstin Comerford (Geneva, N.Y./ Geneva), and Adriana Botello (Holley, N.Y./ Holley) who will depart the Lakers squad after this season following their successful careers at FLCC.
Lakers vs. Mohawk Valley
The Lakers secured a dominant 3-0 win over Mohawk Valley in front of a home crowd to start the day off right.
The Lakers were led by sophomore Adriana Botello who put together a statement performance on sophomore day with an impressive 6 aces and 15 assists. Fellow sophomore Brooke DeGroff took the opportunity to shine on the special day with 4 kills and a stunning 11 aces. DeGroff went on to make her impact felt on defense, recording 2 digs. Freshman Kiane Wells (Webster, N.Y./ Webster Thomas) had a notable day on the attack, delivering 5 kills on 7 attempts for a remarkable .714 hitting percentage. On the defensive end, Michelina Williams (Fairport, N.Y./ Fairport) kept the Lakers' momentum going with a powerful performance at the service line, accumulating 11 aces in the match.
Sophomore Kierstin Comerford played one of her best matches of the season, making a significant contribution in the match with 5 aces. The Lakers' attack was solidified by a .667 and .333 hitting performance from teammates Lauren George (Canandaigua, N.Y./ Canandaigua) and Karynn Price (Geneva, N.Y./ Geneva). With the win, the Lakers were one match away from securing a perfect home record of 6-0.
Lakers vs. Herkimer County
The Lakers achieved yet another 3-0 sweep, this time against the Herkimer County Generals. The Lakers put together an all-around performance to maintain their impressive form this season.
Freshman Payton Stoddard (Bloomfield, N.Y./ Bloomfield) made her presence felt with 2 kills to go along with a team-high 32 assists. Stoddard would round off her performance with 3 aces and 4 digs. Freshman Jordan Winton (Sherburne, N.Y./ Sherburn-Earlville) was a force at the net, churning out 6 kills on 14 attempts. Alongside Winton, Kiane Wells delivered 7 vital kills. Both Winton and Wells played integral roles in the Lakers' defense, combining for 4 blocks.
Brooke DeGroff displayed her all-around talents, landing 6 kills from 13 attacks, adding 2 aces, and pulling off 5 digs. Teammate Leah Williams (Olean, N.Y./ Olean) was another standout performer for the Lakers, tallying 7 kills. Teammate Michelina Williams stood out on the defensive side, racking up 13 digs. Sophomores Adriana Botello and Kierstin Comerford were both key contributors from the service line, adding 3 aces each.
The victory marked the team's 8th straight win and most impressively their 7th straight sweep. In the Lakers' last 7 matches, they have won 21 sets while not losing a single one. The team remains in dominant form as they hit the final stretch of the regular season and prepare for postseason play. The team is back on the road Saturday, October 7th for a pair of matches at Monroe Community College. The Lakers will faceoff with the Monroe Tribunes at 10 AM, followed by a 12 PM match against the Onondaga Lazers.