BABSON PARK, Fla. – The Saint Leo beach volleyball team earned a spilt against a pair of undefeated opponents Wednesday afternoon. The Lions faced the 5-0 Webber Warriors as well as the 2-0 Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish on the campus of Webber. The Lions opened the day with a convincing 4-1 victory over the Warriors before falling in a close 3-2 match with the Sailfish.
 
The No. 2 and No. 3 pairs for the Lions went 2-0 on the day as the lineup looked a bit different this week compared to opening weekend due to a number of factors. Juniors Arlaina Stephenson and Sydney Omtvedt teamed up a No. 2 to pick up a pair of victories while junior Lina Russo and freshman LeeAnn Potter made up the 2-0 No. 3 pair.
 
The pair of matches marked the collegiate debut for Potter in the starting five pairs as Russo had to adapt to a new partner after week one. The duo opened the day with a 21-6, 21-19 victory over the Warriors before taking a 21-17, 21-14 victory versus the Sailfish.
 
The pair of Stephenson and Omtvedt improved to 4-0 on the year with a 21-8, 21-5 dominating victory against the Warriors before taking down the Sailfish 21-17, 21-17.
 
Seniors Brooke Turner and Nina Vattovaz moved to 3-0 on the year at No. 1 with a 21-12, 21-18 win against Webber before suffering their first loss of the season versus the Sailfish. Freshmen Grace Blanco and Jeanette Henderson made their debut into the starting five while picking up a 21-13, 21-11 win at No. 5 against Webber. The pair moved up to No. 4 versus the Sailfish and suffered their first loss of the year.
 
Junior Morgan Maddox and freshman Courtney Mamone made their starting line-up debut against the Sailfish as they slid into the No. 5 slot.  

The split moves the Lions' record to 3-1 on the year while Webber fell to 5-2 and the Sailfish improved to 4-0.
 
The Lions will return to action next Thursday, March 18 as they host both the State College of Florida and the University of Tampa in a tri-match. First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Saint Leo Beach Volleyball Courts with Saint Leo and the State College of Florida taking the sand first.  
 
For the latest news, updates, and information on Saint Leo beach volleyball, be sure to visit SaintLeoLions.com.  Fans can also stay up-to-date on the latest Lions news by following Saint Leo Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
 
Keeping Our Lions Healthy & Safe
Saint Leo University Athletics is keeping our student-athletes healthy and safe by following a number of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This includes having student-athletes tested or screened on a regular basis, traveling in smaller groups, holding competitions without fans in attendance, avoiding overnight trips, and wearing masks when not competing. These safety standards meet those set by the NCAA Division II and the Sunshine State Conference President's Council. At Saint Leo University, the COVID-19 Incident Command Team also reviews the teams' safety protocol and monitors adherence on a regular basis.