ROCKFORD, Ill. – Finger Lakes Community College women's volleyball opened its 2025 campaign against some of the nation's best at the NJCAA Opening Weekend Tournament, finishing the two-day event with a 2–2 record.
The Lakers, ranked No. 4 in the NJCAA DIII preseason poll, began Friday against No. 2 College of DuPage. The Lakers extended the match with a third-set win but fell 3–1 (25-21, 25-21, 23-25, 25-20). Allyson St. Germain (Cincinnatus, N.Y./Cincinnatus) finished with 9 kills, and Olivia Scheuer (Constantia, N.Y./Paul V. Moore) dished out 23 assists. Aubrie Tomlinson (Buffalo, N.Y./Frontier) and Emma Balduf (Bergen, N.Y./Byron Bergen) provided a lift from the service line with 5 aces and 4 aces, respectively.
Later in the day, Finger Lakes rebounded with a sweep of Kishwaukee (25-15, 25-12, 25-20). Anna Kurtzhalts (Grand Island, N.Y./Grand Island) led with 6 kills on a .545 hitting percentage, while Addison Bardwell (Rochester, N.Y./Aquinas Institute) added 3 kills. Scheuer totaled 18 assists and 4 aces as the Lakers controlled the match in dominating fashion.
On Saturday morning, the Lakers dropped a 3–1 decision to Joliet Junior College (25-21, 25-17, 23-25, 25-22). Kurtzhalts paced the offense with 13 kills on .435 hitting, and Kayce Hennekey (Rochester, N.Y./West Irondequoit) was efficient with 7 kills at .538. Scheuer distributed 25 assists and added 8 digs.
Finger Lakes closed the tournament with a sweep of Montcalm (25-17, 25-17, 25-20). Kurtzhalts again led the way with 10 kills on a .476 hitting percentage, while Hennekey contributed 7 kills. Jackie Neureuter (Pembroke, N.Y./Pembroke), Balduf, and Scheuer combined for 9 aces as the Lakers finished with 13 as a team.
Kurtzhalts closed the weekend with 36 kills across four matches, including 23 in the final two contests. Scheuer paced the offense with 88 assists to go along with 8 service aces.
Looking Ahead:
The Lakers return home next Tuesday, August 26th, for their 2025 home opener against Onondaga Community College.
