VALDOSTA, Ga. – Saint Leo volleyball wrapped up play at the Valdosta State University Fall Invitational with a 3-1 record after splitting its pair of games Saturday against Arkansas Fort Smith and host, Valdosta State.
 
The Lions dropped the morning matchup 3-1 to Arkansas Fort Smith before taking down the Blazers 3-1 to close the trip to Georgia. Saint Leo opened up its morning match strong defeating Arkansas Fort Smith 25-14 in the opening set, before falling in the last three sets. The Lions dropped the first set against the hosts' in the final match 17-25 before edging the Blazers 25-23, 25-22 in the second and third sets. The Lions would bring it home with a dominating 25-16 final set.
 
In the Lions versus Lions matchup to open Saturday play, Saint Leo saw Brooke Turner edge teammate Elizabeth Sandoval in kills 14 to 12. Anna Garrett and Margaret Schirm each added five to the match, where Garrett put up 35 assists and 20 digs. Payton Bellano joined in the double-digit digs column with 19 for the match.
 
Sandoval paced the Green and Gold in the win over the Blazers with 20 kills on a .421 hitting clip ahead of Turner's 15. Madelyn Eden and Ashley Quero tallied six a piece in the win over Valdosta State. Garrett would drop another 30-20 match with 35 assists and 22 digs to help propel the Lions past the Blazers in the final match of the tournament. Jeanette Henderson and Bellano would each add double-digits with Henderson at 13 and Bellano 11.
 
Saint Leo returns to action Sept. 17 when the Green and Gold open up Sunshine State Conference play against Florida Southern at 7:00 pm inside the Marion Bowman Activities Center, which serves as the home opener. Following the tilt with the Mocs, the Lions will remain home and tango with the No. 7 Tampa Spartans at 4:00 pm Saturday.
 
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