Men's Volleyball Splits Final Day of Monroe Invite

NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. - The Finger Lakes Community College men's volleyball team saw their undefeated streak come to an end in their national title game rematch against the Monroe College Mustangs. After leading 2 sets to none, the Mustangs rallied from behind to hand the Lakers their first loss of the season, 3-2. 

Sophomore Nick Ferris (Canandaigua, N.Y./Canandaigua) emerged as a standout performer for the Lakers in the loss, delivering an impressive 20 kills on a .447 hitting percentage, adding 22.5 points to the Lakers tally. Ferris' powerful presence at the net was crucial to the Lakers' performance against one of the top programs in the NJCAA. Classmate Daniel Seymour (Bellmore, N.Y./ John F. Kennedy) delivered another significant performance, securing 15 kills and 3 blocks for a total of 18 points. 

Sophomore Ian Meeks (Victor, N.Y./Victor) capitalized on his opportunity on the floor, contributing 13 kills and 14 points to the team's tally. Teammates Bryce Nickson (Penfield, N.Y./Penfield) and Samuel Guardado (San Salvador, El Salvador/Josue Christian) added depth to the Lakers' attack, with Nickson recording 7 kills and Guardado contributing 5 kills and 2 service aces, totaling 8 and 8.5 points, respectively. 

Sophomore Bryce Ceravolo (Canandaigua, N.Y./Canandaigua) orchestrated the team's offense with 53 assists, while AJ DeBalso (Canandaigua, N.Y./Canandaigua) played formidable defense with a team-high 20 digs.

The Lakers capped off their day with a bounce-back 3-1 win over Passaic County Community College. Sophomore Aaron Hennessy (Geneva, N.Y./Geneva) stood out with a career performance, delivering 12 kills and 16 points, while sophomore Daniel Seymour added 9 kills on an impressive .615 hitting percentage.

Sophomore Samuel Guardado added 7 kills, while Nick Ferris and Nehemiah Williams (Waterloo, N.Y./Waterloo) each added to the Lakers dynamic offense, with Ferris recording 5 kills on a .400 hitting percentage and Williams contributing 3 kills. Teammate AJ DeBalso capped off an impressive day on defense with 11 digs in the match while adding 5 points through his service game.

The conclusion of the match marked the Lakers' final match of the 2024 Monroe College Invitational, wrapping up the tournament with an impressive record of 5-1. The team will travel to Nassau Community College on Sunday, February 4th to take on the Lions at 11 AM, followed by a 1 PM match against Atlantic Cape Community College.