General Oct 16, 2019

Lions Ledger: Busy Weekend for Athletics

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Saint Leo travels to Hoover, Ala., for the NCAA South Region Crossover Friday and Saturday as the Lions face three Gulf South Conference opponents.
The Lions open up against the University of Montevallo on Friday at 12:15 p.m. followed by a 5:45 p.m. match against West Florida. Saint Leo will close out the weekend on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. against Mississippi College.
Saint Leo last faced the Falcons of Montevallo in 2012 as the Lions took a 3-0 victory. The Lions have faced West Florida 12 times overall and hold a 6-6 record against the Argonauts. Saint Leo won the most recent meeting between the two programs 3-1 at last season's NCAA South Region Crossover in Orlando. The Argonauts were ranked 12th in the AVCA Coaches Poll at the time of the defeat. The meeting with Mississippi College will be the first time the two programs have faced off on the volleyball court.
Senior Anilise Fitzi continues to lead the Lions this season in both kills and blocks. She now has 182 kills and 75 blocks, 30 more blocks than her nearest teammate. The Walton, New Zealand native currently ranks 16th in the NCAA in hitting percentage at .389 while the Lions as a team rank 11th at .265.
Montevallo enters the weekend coming off back-to-back losses and holds a 10-9 overall record. The Falcons have three hitters who average between 2.63 and 2.92 kills per set led by Brioni Dixon. Defensively both Dixon and Hannah Fernandez have over 60 blocks this season.
West Florida received votes in the most recent AVCA Coaches Poll and carry a 15-5 record into the crossover. The Argonauts have defeated a pair of top-15 programs this season and are riding a 10-match win streak into the weekend. West Florida ranks 12th in the NCAA in blocks per set and are top-50 in several other categories. Jordyn Poppen leads the offense with 267 kills this season while Veresia Yon and Phoebe Hozeska each average over a block per set with Yon leading the way with 76 total stops.
Mississippi College heads to Hoover with a 7-13 record in 2019 and the Choctaws have lost two-straight entering the weekend. Jamie Boros leads the offense with 238 kills, just over 3.0 per set, while Kate Bass leads in blocks with 66, nearly double her next highest teammate.

Saint Leo looks to snap a two-game losing skid after facing #11 Rollins (3-1) and Barry (3-0) last week.
On the season, Carolina Solis-Deleon has netted five goals followed by Rebecca Anderson, Adriana Tirado and Sydney Chase with a pair of goals each. Julia Ortiz has compiled a 0.766 save percentage during her senior campaign in the net. Ortiz has earned 49 stops alongside a 5-5-1 season record.
Florida Tech is on the hunt for its first SSC win of the season. The Panthers put a halt to a five-game losing streak with a 1-1 draw at Florida Southern on Saturday. Against the Mocs, Monica Zabian scored for the Panthers in the 36th minute, marking the first tally of the match.
On the season, Maria Munoz leads the Panthers offense with five goals and an assist. In goal, Maria Sanchez Recuero and Miranda Choplin have split time. Sanchez Recuero has earned nine starts with 36 saves in her 2-5-2 mark between the pipes.
Last meeting on Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018, Florida Tech rolled over Saint Leo 3-0 in Melbourne, Fla. The Panthers struck in the 64th, 67th and 82nd minute marks of the game.

Saint Leo added two tallies in the win column last week defeating Rollins (3-2 2OT) and Barry (2-1). Junior transfer Federico Toschi earned his first SSC Player of the Week honor sinking two goals and an assist.
Toschi spearheads the Lions' offense with five goals and two assists. He is supported by Elias Niesigk with three goals and four assists and Dylan Moriera with a pair of goals. In goal, Wessel Berenschot and Christian Evans have split the goalkeeping responsibilities. Berenschot has earned six starts during which he has earned 27 stops alongside a 0.740 save percentage.
#7 Florida Tech has yet to visit the loss column in 2019. The Panthers drew in a scoreless decision at Eckerd last Wednesday. Beyond the draw, the Panthers handled SSC opponents Florida Southern (3-1), Nova Southeastern (3-0), Barry (2-1), and Embry-Riddle (1-0).
On the season, Guillermo Segovia leads the Panthers offense with six goals and three assists. He is supported by Per Henrik Nag and Luca Campanini who have each added a pair of goals to the mix. In the net, Jason Fesquet has earned 25 stops with a 0.862 save percentage.
Last meeting on Saturday, Sept. 29, 2018, #19 Florida Tech edged Saint Leo 2-1. The Panthers scored in the 24th minute soon answered by the Lions' Mathis Hardy, assisted by Niesigk. The Panthers regained the lead two minutes later for the decision.

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Players Mentioned

#10 Anilise Fitzi: MB; 5' 11"; Senior; Business

#4 Rebecca Anderson: D; 5' 6"; Senior; Biology

#8 Sydney Chase: M; 5' 3"; Junior

#1 Julia Ortiz: GK; 5' 8"; Senior; Sport Business

#2 Carolina Solis-Deleon: M; 5' 3"; Sophomore

#10 Adriana Tirado: M; 5' 0"; Senior

#00 Wessel Berenschot: GK; 6' 0"; Senior

#1 Christian Evans: GK; 6' 1"; Senior

#8 Mathis Hardy: M; 5' 10"; Senior

#11 Elias Niesigk: F; 6' 0"; Graduate Student

Players Mentioned

#10 Anilise Fitzi
: 5' 11"; Senior; Business
: MB

#4 Rebecca Anderson
: 5' 6"; Senior; Biology
: D

#8 Sydney Chase
: 5' 3"; Junior
: M

#1 Julia Ortiz
: 5' 8"; Senior; Sport Business
: GK

#2 Carolina Solis-Deleon
: 5' 3"; Sophomore
: M

#10 Adriana Tirado
: 5' 0"; Senior
: M

#00 Wessel Berenschot
: 6' 0"; Senior
: GK

#1 Christian Evans
: 6' 1"; Senior
: GK

#8 Mathis Hardy
: 5' 10"; Senior
: M

#11 Elias Niesigk
: 6' 0"; Graduate Student
: F