GULF SHORES, Ala. – The seven-seed Saint Leo University beach volleyball team took on Texas A&M – Kingsville and Eckerd on the second day of the 2025 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Small College Beach Volleyball Championships in Gulf Shores. The Lions dropped the first contest of the day, 3-0, to the Javalinas before closing out the day with a third-place finish in the challenge round three with a 3-2 win over Eckerd to take third place. Saint Leo advances to the silver bracket where they will take on Florida Southern at 10:50 a.m. on Saturday morning.
 
Saint Leo opened the day with a 3-0 loss to Texas A&M – Kingsville to move to the third-place match for the challenge round three. The Javalinas earned wins from their two, five, and one pairs to advance to the first-place match up of the challenge round.
 
The Lions closed out the day with a third-place finish as they defeated a familiar foe in the Eckerd Tritons, 3-2. Saint Leo earned wins from its one, four, and five pairings. Jeanette Henderson and Emma Miller earned their first win of the weekend, defeating Eckerd's top pair, 21-18 and 21-14. Kayla David and Erin Johnson took down their Triton opponents 21-15 and 21-13. Emma Laade and Reagan Hopp secured a two-set victory, winning 21-18 and 21-19.
 
(5) Texas A&M - Kingsville 3, (7) Saint Leo 0
1. Liana Huesca/Ryland Pollard (TAMK) def. Jeanette Henderson/Emma Miller (SLU) 21-19, 21-18
2. Kalani Vasquez/Madelyn Wallace (TAMK) def. Tajma Muharemovic/Oliwia Durka (SLU) 21-14, 21-9
3. Brenna Reinhard/Paula Perez Rosales (SLU) vs. Laura Betsa/Taylor McCarthy (TAMK)
4. Kayla David/Erin Johnson (SLU) vs. Emma Daugherty/Meghan Stiefer (TAMK)
5. Clara Presmanes-Garate/Elizabeth Williams (TAMK) def. Emma Laade/Reagan Hopp (SLU) 21-17, 21-19

ORDER OF FINISH: 2, 5, 1
 
(7) Saint Leo 3, (8) Eckerd 2
1. Jeanette Henderson/Emma Miller (SLU) def. Brooke Hand/Anna Jupin (EC) 21-18, 21-14
2. Teagan VanderMey/Ella Kloepper (EC) def. Tajma Muharemovic/Oliwia Durka (SLU) 21-14, 21-19
3. Addie White/Madison Hardbarger (EC) def. Brenna Reinhard/Paula Perez Rosales (SLU) 21-14, 21-10
4. Kayla David/Erin Johnson (SLU) def. Emma Samuelson/Mariana OlivaresCely (EC) 21-15, 21-13
5. Emma Laade/Reagan Hopp (SLU) def. Jessi Meghreblian/Marti Lu Boser (EC) 21-18, 21-19

 
UP NEXT
Saint Leo heads to the silver bracket on Sunday. The Lions will open play against the 10-seed Florida Southern at 10:50 a.m. The winner will advance to take on the eight-seed Carson-Newman at 1:10 p.m.