Beach Volleyball Takes 2nd at AVCA Championships

Leesburg, Fla. – The Lake-Sumter State College beach volleyball team has been competing in their first full season without Covid interruptions this year and made a big splash in their postseason event.

Hickory Point was the location for this years American Volleyball Coaches Association Small College Beach Championships. The field of six teams consisted of Sandhills Community College (NC), Bryant & Stratton College (WI), St. John's River State College, Spartanburg Methodist College (SC), State College of Florida and LSSC.

LSSC finished the first day of the championships with a 1-1 record. In the first match of pool play, the Lakehawks, who entered as the three seed, took down Sandhills CC in all five duals. State College was the next opponent and defeated Lake-Sumter, 4-1.

Friday began bracket play, leading up to the eventual Championship match. The Lakehawks took down Bryant & Stratton convincingly, 5-0, in the opening round. Next up, St. John's River. In two previous matchups this season, the teams had split with one victory each. This meeting was no different and both teams fought hard in the semi-finals with the Lakehawks coming out on top, 3-2, and headed to the Championship round.

Waiting for Lake-Sumter was the top seeded Manatees of State College of Florida. LSSC was 0-3 against them on the year. After dropping the first two duals, the Lakehawks grabbed back-to-back wins, but fell just short in the end, 3-2.  

The Lakehwks took home second place in their first appearance at the AVCA Small College Beach Championships. Lake-Sumter's top pair, Alyssa Guarino and Erin Ellis, earned AVCA All-America recognition. The duo finished out the season ranking 7^th out of 20 at the Pairs Championship in Palatka.