HOOVER, Ala. – The Saint Leo University volleyball team had the ultimate, perfect weekend at the Finley Center, picking up two more wins Saturday against the University of West Alabama and the University of West Georgia.  Not only did the Lions win all their games, but for the first time in the GSC-SSC Crossover Challenge, the Green & Gold managed to sweep all its opponents.
 
SLU 3, UWA 0
In the morning match, Saint Leo (8-12, 1-8 SSC) took advantage of a Tigers team (6-18, 1-8 GSC) that struggled with the fundamentals, recording 25 total errors.  The Green & Gold as a whole hit over .300 for the first time since the team's win over Rollins September 9th.  Junior Kennedy DeLuca was a force in the middle against UWA, tallying six blocks while registering four kills.
 
Down 4-1 to start the opening frame, the Lions' attack came alive at the right time, roaring out to a 9-1 run to double its lead over UWA 10-5.  After two more points from the Tigers cut the deficit to three, the Green & Gold added four more points to double its lead again (14-7).  Saint Leo built a lead as large as 10 before taking Set One 25-17.
 
Momentum for the Lions continued into the second set, jumping out to a 15-6 lead before West Alabama began to rally on a 10-5 run to cut the Green & Gold lead to four (20-16).  Saint Leo would deny the Tigers an opportunity to tie the match, reeling off five points to claim another set win, 25-16.
 
The errors for UWA were more prevalent in Set Three, as attacking errors and Saint Leo service aces fueled a 10-3 run for the Lions to begin the frame.  The seven-point difference served enough cushion for the Lions' to maintain its lead throughout the set, as the Tigers could only get as close as four points before the Green & Gold took the third set 25-16 and the match sweep.
 
SLU 3, UWG 0
Later that evening, Redshirt Senior Elizabeth Sandoval came alive and recorded 12 kills, leading the Lions to hit over .300 once again (.343).  Senior Skylar Singleton was one dig shy of a double-double in the match, recording 10 assists.
 
Saint Leo began with a 7-4 lead before West Georgia (9-16, 2-8 GSC) quickly tied the opening set 7-7.  The Green & Gold maintained a slim lead before a 7-1 run propelled the team to a seven-point lead, proving to be the difference-maker in a 25-17 set win for the Lions.
 
In Set Two, Saint Leo gradually built a 15-10 lead before its attack took the Wolves by storm, a 10-3 run that gave the Lions a 25-13 set win, the team's second-largest set win of the season.
 
With their backs to wall, the Wolves' attack woke up in the third set.  After Saint Leo began the frame with a 6-1 lead, UWG responded with seven, unanswered points that ignited a 12-2 run that gave thw Wolves its first lead of the match 13-8.  That did not stop the Green & Gold from taking nine of the next 11 points to retake a 17-15 lead before West Georgia's 8-4 run had the team on the brink of taking the third set.  As fate would have it, however, Saint Leo persevered by scoring the contest's final four points to steal a 25-23 set win and sweep the Wolves.
 
The Green & Gold resume conference play Tuesday, as the Lions will look for a regular season series sweep over Rollins College.  First serve at Warden Arena is set for 7 p.m.
 
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