LAKELAND, Fla. – The Saint Leo beach volleyball team, who is off to the best start in program history, notched two more wins Saturday as the Lions defeated host Florida Southern 3-2 before taking down the State College of Florida 5-0 in another sweep. The Lions are now 8-2 on the year, blowing away the previous best start through 10 matches, 4-6 set last season. 
 
The Lions won at No. 1, No. 4 and No. 5 against the Mocs to pick up the 3-2 victory while also winning the No. 6 exhibition match. FSC won the first match of the day at No. 2 as the Mocs took care of business 21-15, 21-16. The Lions rallied for wins at No. 4 and No. 5 to take a 2-1 lead in the match. Freshmen Ally-Reese Williams and Aliya Fredette-Huffman improved to 4-1 as a pair as they won at No. 4 21-17, 23-25, 15-8 while a new pair consisting of freshman Jeanette Henderson and sophomore Marissa Rakauskas picked up the victory at No. 5 21-16, 21-18.
 
The Lions clinched the match as top pair seniors Brooke Turner and Nina Vattovaz took down the Mocs top duo 21-13, 21-13. Fellow seniors Kristen Kaiser and Amber Lake won at the No. 6 exhibition slot 21-12, 21-19.
 
In the SCF match the Lions jumbled up their lineup while taking the 5-0 sweep. Lake teamed up with Rakauskas at No. 4 to earn the first point for the Lions. It was the first time the two played together this season and they walked away with a 21-11, 21-5 dominant victory. Juniors Lina Russo and Sydney Omtvedt teamed up for the first time at No. 2 and earned the 2-0 lead for the Lions with an 8-21, 21-15, 15-10 come-from-behind victory.
 
The clincher came at No. 5 with freshman Courtney Mamone and sophomore Megan Keating moving to 2-0 as a pair with a 21-12, 21-10 win. Another first time pair won at No. 3 as Fredette-Huffman teamed up with freshman LeeAnn Potter to take a 21-17, 21-19 victory. The final point came at No. 1 as junior Arlaina Stephenson teamed up with Vattovaz for the first time this season winning in quick fashion 21-14, 21-5.
 
Henderson and sophomore Nuvia Moncada won the No. 6 exhibition match 21-16, 21-11 to complete the full match sweep.
 
The Lions will return to action this Saturday, April 10 as they close out the home portion of their schedule with a tri-match which will include St. Johns River College and Florida Southern. The two Saint Leo matches will begin at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
 
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.