ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Senior setter Tajma Muharemovic made history for the Saint Leo University volleyball team on Saturday morning as she recorded her 2,000th career assist. The Lions closed out the 2025 Triton Invite with a pair of losses as they dropped a 3-0 contest to UIndy in the first match and fell 3-1 to Bowie State in the final match of the day. Saint Leo falls to 1-4 on the season. 

On the day, Saint Leo totaled 72 kills while hitting .097. Paula Perez Rosales led with 21 kills, followed by Brielle Kallberg with 14, Alexa Gandolfo with 13, and Kaitlyn Anderson with 9. Setter Tajma Muharemovic recorded 42 assists, including her 2000th career assist, and added 4 aces. Defensively, Mia Moser collected 19 digs, with Muharemovic and Sabrina Valentin also reaching double digits. The Lions finished the two matches with 13 aces and 6 total blocks.

Following the conclusion of the tournament, senior Brielle Kallberg was named to the 2025 Triton Invite All-Tournament Team. Brielle Kallberg totaled 25 kills over 10 sets on the weekend, hitting .396 with four blocks. She posted 11 kills on .786 hitting against Edward Waters, nine on .444 in the game against UIndy, to earn her spot on the All-Tournament Team.

How It Happened: UIndy 3, Saint Leo 0
Against UIndy, Saint Leo hit .159 with 34 kills and 17 errors on 107 attacks. Brielle Kallberg and Paula Perez Rosales paced the offense with nine kills each, with Kallberg hitting .444 and Perez Rosales .320. Freshman Alexa Gandolfo added eight kills at .263. Tajma Muharemovic tallied 15 assists and one ace, bringing her career total to 2002 after recording her 2000th career assist on her first assist of the third set. Libero Mia Moser led the defense with nine digs. The Lions finished with 2.0 team blocks on four block assists and recorded four aces.

Set 1 | UIndy 25, Saint Leo 12
UIndy seized control early while Saint Leo tried to settle in, finishing the frame with more errors than kills. Kallberg and Perez Rosales provided the most pressure at the pins, but the Greyhounds' efficiency carried them to a 25–12 start.
 
Set 2 | UIndy 25, Saint Leo 22
The Lions responded with their best set, hitting .289 with 16 kills. Kallberg and Gandolfo produced timely swings, and Muharemovic distributed cleanly to keep the attack balanced. Saint Leo traded points to the wire before UIndy found the last mini-run to edge it 25–22.
 
Set 3 | UIndy 25, Saint Leo 22
Muharemovic reached a major milestone with her first assist of the frame, becoming just the third Lion in the rally-scoring era to surpass 2,000 career assists. She finished the match with 15 helpers and now stands at 2002 in her career. Saint Leo fought hard behind Perez Rosales and Kallberg, who combined for several key points, while Villar added energy setting. Despite pulling within striking distance late, UIndy closed the final points to complete the sweep.
 
Inside the Numbers

• Team hitting: Saint Leo .159 vs. UIndy .343
• Set efficiencies: .289 in the second set was the Lions' best of the match
• Kill leaders: Kallberg 9 (.444) and Perez Rosales 9 (.320); Gandolfo 8 (.263)
• Milestone: Muharemovic recorded her 2000th career assist in the third set and now has 2002
• Setting: Muharemovic 15 assists and 1 ace; Villar 11 assists
• Defense: Moser a match-high 9 digs for the Lions; Perez Rosales added 7
• Serving and blocks: 4 aces; 2.0 team blocks on 4 block assists.

 
How It Happened: Bowie State 3, Saint Leo 1
Against Bowie State, Saint Leo hit .039 as a team with 38 kills and 33 errors on 128 swings. Paula Perez Rosales led the Lions with 12 kills, while Kaitlyn Anderson added six and Sabrina Valentin chipped in five on a .455 hitting percentage. Alexa Gandolfo matched Valentin with five kills, and Brielle Kallberg recorded five kills and a block. Tajma Muharemovic guided the offense with 27 assists and also contributed two service aces. Defensively, Mia Moser led with 10 digs, while Valentin added nine and Muharemovic collected 10. The Lions finished with nine service aces and three total team blocks.
 
Set 1 | Bowie State 25, Saint Leo 20
The Lions started with energy, battling through six ties and four lead changes in the opening frame. Perez Rosales delivered several strong swings while Anderson and Kallberg chipped in at the net. Bowie State managed to pull ahead late to take the opener 25-20.
 
Set 2 | Bowie State 25, Saint Leo 11
Bowie State carried momentum into the second, limiting Saint Leo's attack while forcing errors. Valentin provided steady play with both kills and digs, but the Bulldogs controlled the set throughout and extended their lead with a 25-11 win.
 
Set 3 | Saint Leo 25, Bowie State 18
Saint Leo found its rhythm in the third set, hitting .167 as a team while minimizing mistakes. Perez Rosales led the charge with multiple kills, while Gandolfo and Anderson added to the attack. Muharemovic directed the offense efficiently, and the Lions closed out the frame strong for a 25-18 victory.
 
Set 4 | Bowie State 25, Saint Leo 19
The Lions looked to push the match to a deciding set and stayed close through eight ties and five lead changes. Valentin and Perez Rosales provided timely points, and Moser kept plays alive with digs. Bowie State used a late rally to pull away for the 25-19 win, securing the match.
 
Inside the Numbers

• Team hitting percentage: Saint Leo .039, Bowie State .110
• Kill leaders: Perez Rosales 12, Anderson 6, Valentin 5 (.455), Gandolfo 5, Kallberg 5
• Setting: Muharemovic led with 27 assists and two service aces
• Defense: Moser 10 digs, Muharemovic 10 digs, Valentin 9 digs
• Serving: Lions finished with nine aces, led by Moser with three and Anderson with two
• Blocks: Kallberg recorded one solo and one block assist, Drayton added two block assists

 
UP NEXT
Saint Leo opens Sunshine State Conference play next week as it heads to Tampa for the conference opener at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, September 23. The Lions close out their week with their home opener against Florida Southern at 6 p.m. in the Marion Bowman Center.