The Genesee Community College volleyball team hosted Finger Lakes Community College, a team that had won five of its last six entering the match against Genesee. The Cougars went down a set, but took two of the next three to force a fifth set before dropping the match with a 15-13 score in the decisive set Oct. 12.

After falling in the first set 25-18, the Cougars out-scored the Lakers 84-74 the rest of the way and deserved a better outcome.

The first three sets were so close that only one or two points separated each team at the 20-point mark. The Cougars trailed 20-18 in the first, led 20-19 in the second and trailed 20-19 in the third. The team that reached 20 points first in each of the first four sets went on to win.

Genesee built a nine-point lead in the second at 15-6, but the Lakers rallied to tie the game at both 18 and 19 points before the Cougars scored six of the last nine for a 25-22 win.

Genesee built a nice seven-point lead in the third set at 18-11, but again Finger Lakes proved to be a formidable opponent by tying the set at 19 and scoring six of the last eight for a 25-21 win.

Trailing 2-1 in sets, Genesee dominated the fourth by taking a double-digit lead at 19-9 and then scored six of the last nine for the most convincing win by either team on the night at 25-12.

Genesee was in command in the fifth set that went back-and-forth between both teams with seven ties. Genesee took the lead five different times with its last lead just a couple points away from the match win at 13-11, but the Lakers had three leads of their own and recorded their last one at 14-13 before getting set point.

Tommi Rutherford led Genesee with 30 digs and nine aces. Nao Maeda added 36 assists, while Aleah Foos had six blocks. Grace Zandrowicz and Lyndsey Rowland combined for 26 kills with the former netting 13 and the latter 11.

The Cougars will travel to Monroe Community College this weekend for pod play against Broome, Tompkins-Cortland and Corning, Oct. 14.