TEMPLE TERRACE, FLA. – The Saint Leo University volleyball team earned a 3-0 win at Florida College on Saturday evening in its final non-conference game of the season. The Lions took the first and second sets by identical 25-22 scores before earning a 26-24 win in the third set to clinch the match victory. Saint Leo improves to 4-4 on the season.

Oliwia Durka led the Lions with 12 kills, and Anyaliz Rodriguez and Brielle Kallberg added seven each. Rodriguez and Kallberg also led the game with three blocks each. As a team the Lions had a .163 hitting percentage including a .303 in the second set while holding Florida College to a .040 hitting percentage in the game.

SAINT LEO 3, FLORIDA COLLEGE 0
The Lions jumped out to an early 3-0 lead to open the game. Molly Chappell made her collegiate debut and recorded her first career kill to put the Green and Gold up 6-3. Florida College inched its way back using a 3-0 run to tie the set at 12 and then took a 13-12 lead. The two teams traded kills before Saint Leo rallied off a 7-1 run, which was highlighted by a pair of kills from Oliwia Durka, giving Saint Leo a 20-15 advantage. With the Lions leading 23-17, Florida College went on a 4-0 run before Saint Leo claimed the set victory 25-22.

The second set remained close through the first 12 points with neither team taking more than a point advantage. A kill by Kallberg gave the Lions a 7-6 lead, a lead they would not relinquish. Saint Leo maintained a small lead over the Lady Falcons. A 6-1 run for the Lions put them up 22-14, highlighted by a trio of kills by Rodriguez and two from Durka. Florida College followed with a 7-1 run of its own cutting the Lions lead to 23-21. A kill by Chappell put the Lions at set point before the Lions took the set 25-22 and a 2-0 lead.

The final set featured extra points with the Lions claiming the set 26-24 and the game 3-0. The teams traded leads to open the final set. After a 3-0 run gave the Lions a 6-4 lead, the Lady Falcons turned the set around with a 9-1 run to jump out to a 13-7 advantage. A pair of kills by Kallberg and Durka led a 4-0 run as Saint Leo took a 20-16 lead. Saint Leo held on to the lead until a service erro and a kill by the Lady Falcons tied the set at 24-24. Back-to-back attack errors by the home team gave the Lions the set and ultimately the 3-0 match victory.

UP NEXT
Saint Leo opens Sunshine State Conference play next week hosting Florida Southern at 7 p.m. on Friday before heading to Tampa on Saturday for a 4 p.m. match up with the Spartans.