GLEN ELLYN, Il. - The Finger Lakes Community College men's volleyball team kicked off the first day of the College of DuPage Invitational with a win over Bryant & Stratton (WI) in a five-set thriller. The Lakers would stage a 3-2 comeback victory over the Bobcats, who are one of the top programs in the NJCAA, despite trailing 2-1 after the first three sets. The Lakers would tie the match 2 all with a dominating 25-9 win in the fourth set. The Lakers would go on to clinch the win with a 15-8 win in the fifth and final set.
Teammates Ian Meeks (Victor, N.Y./Victor) and Evan Lukasiewicz (Webster, N.Y./Webster Schroeder) were both vital to the team's win, leading the charge with 13 kills each. Meeks would make his mark with 3 service aces, while Lukasiewicz demonstrated his efficiency with a .346 hitting percentage. Sophomore Nick Ferris (Canandaigua, N.Y./Canandaigua) matched his teammates in kills, racking up 13 with an impressive .417 hitting percentage. Ferris would make his mark on defense by adding a solo block and 2 block assists, totaling 15 points for the team. Setter and classmate Bryce Ceravolo (Canandaigua, N.Y./Canandaigua) was key to the victory with a game-high 44 assists throughout the match. Ceravolo would also add 3 kills on a .600 hitting percentage as well. Sophomore Samuel Guardado (San Salvador, El Salvador/Josue Christian) added a spark to the team's performance with a perfect hitting efficiency, adding 4 kills on 4 attempts. Defensively, Bryce Nickson (Penfield, N.Y./Penfield) and AJ DeBalso (Canandaigua, N.Y./Canandaigua) controlled the back row with 10 and 9 digs, respectively, to round out a strong performance to open the tournament. Following a five-set thriller, the Lakers turned around and played St. Xavier University in the next match of the tournament. The team would face a tough setback in yet another five-set match, falling 3-2 to the Cougars.
Teammates Ian Meeks and Evan Lukasiewicz led the charge once again, adding 14 kills each. Meeks would add 3 service aces and 2 block assists to his tally, while Lukasiewicz made contributions on defense with 6 digs. However, it was sophomore Nick Ferris who emerged as the most efficient attacker for the Lakers, amassing 15 kills with a .333 hitting percentage. Ferris' dominance at the net was underscored by 2 solo blocks and 1 block assist on defense to round out a 17.5-point performance. Setter Bryce Ceravolo excelled with 47 assists over five sets. His efforts included 2 kills and 3 service aces to finish the day on a high note. Freshmen Bryce Nickson stood out with a strong defensive effort with 11 digs and a block assist. Nickson would add to the kill column with 3 of his own to round out the day with 5.5 points.
On day two of the tournament, the Lakers would open against the host Chapparals of the College of DuPage and get back on track with a 3-0 sweep. Sophomore Nick Ferris led the way with outstanding hitting efficiency, securing 10 kills on 19 attempts for a .526 hitting percentage. Teammate Evan Lukasiewicz also significantly impacted the offensive end, adding 12 kills. Freshman Aaron Hennessy (Geneva, N.Y./Geneva) emerged as one of the key players in the match, delivering 8 kills on a .462 hitting percentage. Hennessey's performance, combined with a service ace and two block assists, contributed 10 points on the day. Sophomore Bryce Ceravolo played a consistent game once again, distributing 37 assists in the match. Sophomore Ian Meeks would pick up the offensive production, delivering a team-high 16 digs against the Chapparals.
The Lakers would conclude their trip to the College of DuPage Invitational on a high note, earning a 3-0 sweep over Aurora University to close the tournament with a 3-1 record. The Lakers would defeat the Spartans in a well-balanced, overall performance, led by freshman Evan Lukasiewicz. Lukasiewicz stood out in the match with 11 kills on offense while adding 2 solo blocks and 3 block assists on defense. Sophomore Nick Ferris showcased efficiency and precision in his play to round out a strong tournament, recording 8 kills with a .467 hitting percentage, the highest on the team for the match. Ferris made his mark in other areas, adding an ace and 2 block assists to finish with 10 points. Teammates Ian Meeks and Daniel Seymour (Bellmore, N.Y./John F. Kennedy) made significant contributions adding 8 and 5 kills respectively, while Seymour added a solo block and 5 block assists to his tally. Sophomore Bryce Ceravolo added 31 assists in the match, while freshman Bryce Nickson led with 11 digs.
Up next for the Lakers is the FLCC Invite on February 24th and 25th. The tournament, which will feature 6 total teams, will mark another challenge for the Lakers as they look to prepare for the NJCAA National Tournament. The Lakers will open the tournament with a pair of matches on Saturday, February 24th against RIT and Monroe College – Bronx at 10am and 2pm, followed by a pair of matches the following day, Sunday, February 25th against Monroe College and Union County Community College at 10am and 2pm. The games will be streamed live here. Follow the Lakers on social media to keep up with the program @flccathletics on Facebook and Twitter, and @flcclakers on Instagram.
