TAVARAS, Fla. – The Saint Leo University beach volleyball team opened the 2024 AVCA Small College Beach Championships with a perfect 2-0 day. The Lions shut out both Erskine and Wayne State to close out the first day at the top of the Pool 4 standings. Saint Leo wraps up pool play tomorrow with an 11:15 a.m. match up against Texas A&M – Kingsville.

Out of a possible 10 courts the Lions walked away with a perfect 7-0 record on the first day of the championship with only three courts ending with no results recorded.

Saint Leo opened the day with a 3-0 sweep of Erskine as Aliya Fredette-Huffman and Jeanette Henderson put the Lions up 1-0 with a 21-12 and a 21-13 victory. After needed an extra point to defeat their opponent in the first set, Kayla David and Julia Panko made easy work to clinch the point with a 21-5 second set win. Ignacia Cortinez and Emma Miller posted identical 21-14 scores to clinch the first win of the day for the Lions.

The Lions moved to 2-0 on the day with a 4-0 win over Wayne State. Fredette-Huffman and Henderson opened the match with their second win of the day as they posted 21-9 scores in both sets. Amanda Doherty and Emma Laade won 21-10 and 21-7 to put the Lions up 2-0. LeeAnn Potter and Brenna Reinhard posted their first win of the day with a 21-13 and a 21-11 final to clinch the match for the Green and Gold. Cortinez and Miller gave the Lions a 4-0 advantage with a 21-14 and 21-15 win.

Saint Leo was represented by two pairs in the pairs challenge as Caitlyn Kemer and Daria Kowalik were placed in Pool 3 and Claire Flanagan and Erin Johnson are in Pool 8. Kemer and Kowalik went 1-1 on the day and Flanagan and Johnson won both of their matches. The duo was one of 10 pairs across the 40-pair challenge that went undefeated. 

(4) Saint Leo 3, (12) Erskine 0

1. Kayla David/Julia Panko (SLU) def. Sam Bebber/Elly Davis (EC) 22-20, 21-5
2. Aliya Fredette-Huffman/Jeanette Henderson (SLU) def. MJ Cackett/Allison Dutterer (EC) 21-12, 21-13
3. Ignacia Cortinez/Emma Miller (SLU) def. Anna Haselden/Sarilyne Walley (EC) 21-14, 21-14
4. LeeAnn Potter/Brenna Reinhard (SLU) vs. Paige Knotts/Kayley Preston (EC) no result
5. Amanda Doherty/Emma Laade (SLU) vs. Caroline Kelly/Phoenix Slager (EC) no result

(4) Saint Leo 4, (16) Wayne State 0

1. Kayla David/Julia Panko (SLU) vs. Taya Beller/Allie Petry (WSC) no result
2. Aliya Fredette-Huffman/Jeanette Henderson (SLU) def. Jordan McCormick/Channatee Robles (WSC) 21-9, 21-9
3. Ignacia Cortinez/Emma Miller (SLU) def. Ella Myler/Brooke Peltz (WSC) 21-14, 21-15
4. LeeAnn Potter/Brenna Reinhard (SLU) vs. Brooklyn Kusler/Molly Romano (WSC) 21-13, 21-11
5. Amanda Doherty/Emma Laade (SLU) vs. Taylor Bunjer/Rhianna Wilhelm (WSC) 21-10, 21-7

PAIRS CHALLENGE
Pool 3:
Kristine Garcia/Lizzy Hood (CMU) def. Caitlyn Kemer/Daria Kowalik (SLU) 21-19, 21-15
Caitlyn Kemer/Daria Kowalik (SLU) def. Megan Halford/Lauren Shepherd (CAT) 21-12, 21-11

Pool 8:
Claire Flanagan/Erin Johnson (SLU) def. Margo Fox/Parker Lynch (LYN) 21-11, 21-8
Claire Flanagan/Erin Johnson (SLU) def. Chloe Maxwell/Madeline Sanders (FSC) 21-9, 21-17

UP NEXT
Day two of the AVCA Small College Championships will begin for the Lions at 11:15 a.m. against the eighth-seed Texas A&M - Kingsville. The Lions and the Javelinas will meet up on Courts D1-5.