HOOVER, Ala. – The Saint Leo volleyball team put on an impressive performance on the opening day of the NCAA South Region Crossover today as the Lions swept the University of Montevallo and the University of West Florida. The Argonauts of UWF were riding a 10-match winning streak heading into the contest and were at the top of the Gulf South Conference standings. The Lions not only won both matches 3-0 but they won by nine points or more in four of the six sets.
 
Saint Leo improved to 14-5 on the season, just three victories shy of 2018's win total. The Falcons of Montevallo dropped to 10-10 while the Argos fell to 15-6.
 
Saint Leo swept the Falcons 25-16, 25-21 and 25-15 to secure its first victory of the day. Seven Lions finished with three or more kills in the victory led by junior Ashley Quero's nine. Senior Annabella Arcari added eight kills while leading the team with seven blocks including one solo stuff. Senior Victoria Omoregie rounded out the top three with seven kills and six blocks.
 
Redshirt junior setter Anna Garrett dished out 32 assists while digging up 11 balls to register another double-double. The Merritt Island, Fla., native also picked up four kills in the match on seven attempts. Sophomore libero Payton Bellano dug up a team best 14 balls while senior Nina Vattovaz chipped in 12.
 
The Lions hit just .175 as a team in the match but overcame the tough offensive start by holding the Falcons to a -.029 hitting percentage for the match.
 
Against the Argos it was the Lions hitting, which entered the weekend ranked 11^th in the NCAA for hitting percentage, that came through as Saint Leo posted a .305 percentage as a squad while holding the Argos to a low .058 mark.
 
Once again it was a total team effort as seven Lions finished with four or more kills. Arcari led the way with eight kills and a pair of blocks. Senior Anilise Fitzi added seven kills and four blocks. The pair combined to hit for a .448 average with each committing just one hitting error.
 
Vattovaz, Quero and junior Michelle Cuervo all finished with six kills in the victory. Garrett handed out 29 assists in the match while digging up 10 balls for her second double-double of the day. She also had four kills in the victory. Bellano posted a team-best 16 digs as she and Garrett were the only two to reach double-figures.
 
The Lions defeated the Argonauts 25-19, 25-15 and 25-15. West Florida entered the match with a pair of victories against top-15 ranked opponents and were riding a 10-match winning streak. The Lions were the first team all season to sweep the Argonauts and it was West Florida's first time being swept since last season's Crossover at the hands of Florida Southern.  
 
Saint Leo will return to action tomorrow, Oct. 19 as they close out play at the NCAA South Region Crossover with a 2:30 p.m. match against Mississippi College.
 
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