Back-to-Back Champions: Men's Volleyball Rallies for NJCAA National Title
GLEN ELLYN, Il. - The Finger Lakes Community College men's volleyball team made history Sunday evening, claiming their second-consecutive NJCAA Men's Volleyball National Invitational Championship in a 3-1 victory over Monroe College (New Rochelle, N.Y.) at the College of DuPage. The Lakers who faced adversity earlier in the day in a semifinal match against the College of DuPage, where they would prevail in a 5-set thriller, showed resiliency in the championship match. The Mustangs came out hot, jumping out to a 1-0 lead with a 25-15 win in set one, before the Lakers regrouped following the setback to take the subsequent sets 25-19, 25-23, and 25-20.
The stars aligned for the 2024 championship matchup as the Lakers took on the Mustangs in a 2023 National Title rematch. Despite the challenging start, the Lakers rebounded in a big way to bring the championship trophy back to the campus of Finger Lakes Community College. The victory sealed a remarkable season for the Lakers who finished with a 33-3 record and extended their win streak to 21 matches. Sophomore Nick Ferris (Canandaigua, N.Y./Canandaigua) whose outstanding performance throughout the tournament earned him the Most Valuable Player title, was instrumental in the Lakers' success. Ferris ended the championship match with 11 kills and a total of 14.5 points after amassing 47 kills over the two days of tournament play.
Setter Bryce Ceravolo (Canandaigua, N.Y./Canandaigua), who remained one of the Lakers' most consistent contributors on offense, orchestrated the attack with a game-high 38 assists. Ceravolo added on the defensive side with a solo block and block assist a piece, adding 6.5 points to his tally. Sophomore Ian Meeks (Victor, N.Y./Victor) supported the offense with 9 kills and bolstered the defense with a solo block and 2 block assists to finish with 11 points. Freshman Evan Lukasiewicz (Webster, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) led the way on offense with a team-high 17 kills, hitting an efficient .317 in the match.
Sophomore Daniel Seymour (Bellmore, N.Y./John F. Kennedy) added 9 kills and was key to solidifying the Lakers' defense with 2 solo blocks and a block assist, totaling 11.5 points. Freshman Bryce Nickson (Penfield, N.Y./Penfield) added reliability to the back row of the defense, playing a vital role in the win with 10 digs and five points, including a block assist. Freshman Aaron Hennessy (Geneva, N.Y./Geneva) and Samuel Guardado (San Salvador, El Salvador/Josue Christian) provided key depth to the Lakers' lineup. Hennessy added a pair of kills and a service ace in the match, while Guardado provided 4 kills and 3 blocks. The defensive efforts as a team were key to managing the Mustangs' attack as the Lakers finished with 13 blocks and 40 digs as a group.
First-year head coach Steven Verbridge, who was named NJCAA Men's Volleyball Coach of the Year, was vocal about the team's hard work leading up to the title game, "This whole week was a testament to the word 'team'. I'm so proud of every member of our team. We faced adversity this weekend and we used each moment to fuel us". Following a dominant showing in pool play, the Lakers who tested by the Chapparals of the host College of DuPage who took the Lakers to five sets heading into the championship match. Verbridge was quick to credit his team's willingness to face adversity, "this was a total team effort from Bryce Ceravolo leading our offense to Nick Ferris dominating the floor, AJ DeBalso and Bryce Nickson refusing to let the ball hit the ground, Ian Meeks flaunting his strength and Daniel Seymour inflicting his energy into our team. Our whole bench was key to not letting us cave to adversity. This team, 33-3, were winners, and tonight, we're going to bed champions".
The game marks the end of a historic season and solidifies Lakers men's volleyball as a powerhouse in NJCAA volleyball. The team's sophomore-heavy roster will rely on a core of returners including freshman standouts Evan Lukasciewicz, Bryce Nickson, and Aaron Hennessy along with returners Nate Whyte (Canandaigua, N.Y./Canandaigua), Devin Cline (Belmont, N.Y./Genesee Valley), and Marc Williams (Horseheads, N.Y./Horseheads). Paired with a promising 2025 recruiting class, the Lakers will look to continue their dynasty run next season.