SCF BVB Becomes National Champs!!!

Photo Credit: NJCAA

Tavares, Fla - Despite a slight weather delay in the final match, the #1 seed SCF beach volleyball team (13-7) made their national dreams come true as they won the inaugural AVCA Two-Year College Championship at Hickory Point Beach in Tavares. The Manatees defeated #4 seed Spartanburg Methodist (5-11) 4-1 in the semifinals before defeating #3 seed Lake Sumter State (5-11) 3-2 in the championship match.

"It feels amazing," said head coach Lynn Burnett. "The girls worked really hard for this moment and I am so proud of them and this journey of a lifetime that they have been waiting for. To be named the inaugural AVCA Two-Year College Champions is quite an honor for us."

"The team did really good," said freshman Lana Sandanom. "I am so proud of everyone because we did everything to win this championship and it paid off. We stayed disciplined and still had a lot of fun. There are so many emotions I'm feeling. I am happy and proud, but I am also still in shock not because I didn't believe in us, but because we accomplished what we said we were going to accomplish. We worked so hard for this."

"The team did amazing the whole weekend when we won almost every time by a score of 4-1 or 5-0," said sophomore Lison Stoffel. "The chemistry and cheering was the best. It still feels crazy that after so long with losses in indoor, I can't believe that we made it. It's the accomplishment of months of hard work, ups and downs, but everything vanished after the win and we held that trophy. I am so excited for the next step."

Quarterfinals Matches:

The Manatees, who were the #1 seed, and the #2 seed St. John's River State (6-12) had a first-round bye round to the semifinals where they awaited their opponents.

In the quarterfinals, #3 Lake Sumter State woud defeat #6 seed Bryant and Stratton (0-6) in a 5-0 complete sweep, while the #4 Spartanburg Methodist swept #5 seed Sandhills CC 5-0. As a result of the losses, Bryant and Stratton and Sandhilll CC were sent to the 5th place bracket.

SCF vs Spartanburg Methodist:

Heading into the semifinals, the sophomore duo of Kayla David and Anna Chechelyntska would defeat the sophomore duo of McKenzie MacIntosh and Meghan Scharpenberg 21-12, 21-15 at the #2 spot, while sophomore Giulia Rodrigues and freshman Shelby McGee were forced to three sets against sophomores KayDee Runion and Sidney Russell, but with high spirts and energy, Rodrigues and MeGee won their match 21-10, 27-29, 16-14 at the #4 spot.

The dagger for the Manatees came off of a win by sophomore Ana Broadhead and freshman Yeva Serdiuk as they defeated sophomores Laura Lietzke and Taylor Reilly with a 21-9 pair decision at the #1 spot to advance to the finals and send the Pioneers to the third place bracket.

The final two matches continued as Stoffel and Sandanom defeated freshmen Tayla Reini and Racquel Talley 21-6, 21-17 at the #5 spot, while sophomore Kaylee Forman and freshman Taryn Wright fell to sophomore Abby Funchess and freshman Rory Aho 21-14, 21-13 at the #3 spot for the Manatees only loss in the semifinals.

Meanwhile, in the other semifinal match, #3 Lake Sumter pulled an upset win as they defeated #2 St. John's River State 3-2 to force them to the third place bracket.

3rd and 5th Place Matches:

In the fifth place match, Sandhills CC would win 4-1 over Bryant and Stratton to claim fifth place. Sandhills CC would finish their season at 2-13 overall, while Bryant and Stratton would fall to 0-6 and finished in last place.

In the third place match, #4 Spartanburg Methodist would pull off an upset moment of their own as they defeated #2 St. John's River State 3-2. The Pioneers would end their season at 5-11 with the third place finish, while the Vikings finished their season 6-12 overall with a fourth place finish.

SCF vs Lake Sumter:

In the championship match, the match was delayed for a while due to inclement weather and a lightning delay, but would resume after it cleared up.

Broadhead and Serdiuk would defeat sophomores Erin Ellis and Alyssa Guarino 21-12, 21-16 at the #1 spot to open it up. After David and Chechelyntska defeated sophomores Isabaella Ospina and Carolina Marrero with a 21-6 pair decision at the #2 spot, the Lakehawks would get their points on the board as Forman and Wright fell to sophomore Faith Horgeshimer and freshman Kaylin McCann in three sets (21-18, 18-21, 10-15) at the #3 spot before Rodrigues and McGee fell to sophomore Macey McGinnis and freshman Madison Heskett in a at the #4 spot in a 19-21 pair decision.

The final point came down to the #5 spot between Stoffel and Sandanom and freshmen Cayla Colbert and Leslie Catlett. With a lot of grit, passion and determination, the French duo hit the dagger over Colbert and Catlett and sealed a 21-18, 21-10 win to take the title for the Manatees.

"Lison and I were so happy to play together," said Sandanom on playing with Stoffel for the game-winner. "Seeing everything that we could accomplish was making us really happy. We were able to win our four matches those two days and even if at some moment it was harder because of the heat or when we were tired, we were still able to get back to the game and finish it together and winning those games made us the happiest."

"It feels so good to be able to get the game-winner, especially with Lana," said Stoffel on playing with Sandanom for the game-winner. "We wanted to play together since the beginning and we won every single game of the tournament and winning that last game felt like giving back to SCF for everything that they gave us."

Final Placings:

1. SCF (13-7)

2. Lake Sumter State (5-11)

3. Spartanburg Methodist (5-11)

4. St. John's River (6-12)

5. Sandhills CC (2-13)

6. Bryant and Stratton (0-6)

Notes:

As a result of winning the championship and runner-up, Broadhead (SCF), Serdiuk (SCF), Ellis (LSSC) and Guarino (LCCS), the #1 pairs in the tournament, were named inaugural AVCA Two-Year College All-Americans.

At the end of the tournament, three of the five teams for the Manatees went unbeaten at 4-0: Broadhead and Serdiuk, David and Chechelyntska and Stoffel and Sandanom.

Up Next:

The journey continues for the Manatees as they head to the South Pone Vedra Beach Recreation Area in Palatka for the JUCO Pairs Championship Friday and Saturday, April 29-30.