Lakers Defeat Jefferson in Cara Bryant Invitational Championship

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Finger Lakes Community College women's volleyball team walked away with the Cara Bryant Invitational championship after taking it in 2018, defeating Jefferson Community College 2-0. Freshman middle hitter Brooke DeGroff (Castile, N.Y./ Letchworth) was named tournament MVP for the Lakers, helping guide the team to the championship game.

Lakers vs. Onondaga CC

The Lakers jumped 1-0 in tournament play with a big win over the Lazers of Onondaga Community College. Freshman Brooke DeGroff and Sophomore Meghan Johnson (Phelps, N.Y./ Newark) picked the Lakers up on offense. DeGroff finished with 8 kills to go along with 11 digs and 1 block assist. Johnson would tally 8 kills on the attack to go along with 1 assist, 5 digs, and 1 block assist.

Freshman Sage Barnedo (Silver Springs, M.D./ Springbrook) continued to rack up the assists on the year, finishing with 10, along with 4 aces, 3 digs, and 2 block assists. Teammate Adriana Botello (Holley, N.Y./ Holley) joined Barnedo in setting up her teammates with 11 assists, Botello would also add 1 kill and 1 dig in the match. On defense, Freshman Kaidyn VanDelinder (Gananda, N.Y./ Gananda) led the team with 3 block assists along with 4 kills on the attack.

Other contributors for the Lakers included Olivia Sheehan (Irondequoit, N.Y./ West Irondequoit) with 1 ace and 5 digs, Kierstin Comerford (Geneva, N.Y./ Geneva) who added 1 ace, and Kayla Fetcie (Victor, N.Y./ Victor) who finished the match with 3 kills, 1 block solo, and 2 block assists.

Lakers vs. Jefferson CC

The Lakers would suffer their only loss of the tournament to the Cannoneers of Jefferson Community College, 2-1. Freshman Brooke DeGroff led the team with 15 points with 14 kills, 1 ace, and 1 dig. Teammate Meghan Johnson enjoyed a productive match, adding 12 kills on the attack along with contributing 1 assist, 2 digs, and 1 block assist.

Sophomore Kayla Fetcie tallied 4 kills, 1 assist, 1 block solo, and 1 block assist in the match, while teammate Kaidyn VanDelinder added 2 kills and 2 block solos. Freshman libero Olivia Sheehan added 2 aces and 11 digs, Sage Barnedo finished with 29 assists and 1 ace, and 

Lakers vs. SUNY Broome

The Lakers made quick work of the Hornets in their third match of the tournament, finishing the match in two sets. Sophomore Kayla Fetcie led the Lakers with 6 points with 4 kills, 1 ace, and 1 block solo. Fellow Sophomore Meghan Johnson joined Fetice on the attack with 4 kills to go with 3 digs. Freshman Adriana Botello added 6 assists, 3 aces, and 1 dig, while teammate Brooke DeGroff finished with 3 kills.

Lakers vs. Jefferson CC - Championship Game

The Lakers found themselves matched against the Cannoneers for the championship game of the Cara Bryant Invitational. After losing to the Cannoneers just two games prior, the Lakers looked to avenge the loss when it mattered. The team did just that, knocking off the Cannoneers to win the Cara Bryant Invitational championship, 2-0. 

Several Lakers stood out during the tournament, including Brooke DeGroff, who walked away with the tournament MVP honors. DeGroff would finish with 13 kills, 2 aces, and 5 digs. The Lakers relied on the hustle of Meghan Johnson during the game, as Johnson made several key plays in the match and the overall tournament. Johnson would finish with 5 kills and 7 digs in the final game.

Freshman Kaidyn VanDelinder continued to impress on defense, adding 1 block and 1 block assist while adding 4 kills on the attack. Other Lakers help contribute to the win, including Kayla Fetcie with 1 kill, 3 aces, and 2 digs, Sage Barnedo who added 1 kill, 22 assists, and 4 digs, and Adrianna Botello who tallied 5 digs and 1 block assist. The Lakers were fueled by a strong start in the second set of the finals, jumping out to an 8-0 lead. Sophomore Kayla Fetcie served for 7 straight service points to give the Lakers momentum.

Now, the Lakers look ahead to a 2-game homestand, their first home game since September 27th. The Lakers will faceoff with SUNY Broome on Tuesday, October 11th at 6 PM, and Genesee Community College on Thursday, October 13th at 6 PM in the Putt Moore Gymnasium.