ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – In the final day of the Eckerd College Invitational, the Saint Leo women's volleyball team earned a come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Emory & Henry in a non-Sunshine State Conference (SSC) play on Saturday afternoon. The Lions dropped the first two sets before battling back with three straight set victories.

The first set featured six times within the first 14 points as both Saint Leo and Wasps held a stalemate at 7-7. Emory & Henry executed a 9-3 run to gain a 16-10 advantage before the teams split the following 16 points as the Wasps were on set point with a 24-18 edge. Emory & Henry claimed the opening set 25-19.

The Wasps mounted an early 11-2 lead in the second set, however, the Green and Gold trimmed its deficit to 14-11 after junior Paula Perez Rosales tallied three consecutive kills. Saint Leo grabbed its first lead of the set at 21-20. Emory & Henry scored six of the final nine points to take set two, 26-24.

The Lions gained the early upper hand in set three with an 11-4 advantage. Saint Leo maintained its seven-point cushion with an 18-11 lead. Perez Rosales gave the Lions the set point opportunity with a kill that gave Saint Leo a 24-19 advantage before a service error from the Wasps gave the Lions a 25-21 win.

The fourth set was a back-and-forth contest that was tied at 11-11 before the Green and Gold conducted an 8-1 run as they led by a 19-12 margin. Emory & Henry pulled within four points with a 21-17 deficit followed by the Lions finishing the set by recording four of the last five points, 25-18.

With momentum in hand, Saint Leo claimed an 11-3 lead in the fifth set. The Wasps cut the Lions' lead to 13-9 before a kill from junior Anyaliz Rodriguez and Perez Rosales gave Saint Leo the 15-9 win for the match.

The offensive attack for the Green and Gold was led by Rodriguez, who registered 22 kills and hit at a .271 clip in addition to 14 digs and two blocks. Perez Rosales notched 20 kills with 13 digs and a trio of assists. Senior Oliwia Durka posted 14 kills, four blocks and three digs. Junior Brielle Kallberg chipped in with seven kills and three blocks. Junior Tajma Muharemovic registered the second most assists in her career with a staggering 53 in addition to 15 digs. Senior Ivett Flores made her presence on defense felt with a game-high 27 digs.

Saint Leo returns to the court on Friday, September 13 as it hosts Saint Edward's at 1 p.m. and Saint Michael's at 6:30 p.m. on the first day of the Lion Volleyball Fall Tournament.