SAINT LEO, Fla. – The Saint Leo University beach volleyball team saw its chance at a conference championship end with a 3-2 loss to Eckerd College in an elimination game on Saturday morning. The Lions and Tritons needed all five courts to decide who advanced and the Tritons secured the final win to advance in the bracket. Saint Leo closed out its performance in the 2026 SSC Beach Volleyball Championship with a 2-2 record. The Lions will head into next week's Small College Beach Championships with a 20-7 overall record.
 
Saint Leo's two All-SSC pairs earned wins against the Tritons. Emma Laade and Thalie Brossard put the Lions up 1-0 early with a 21-11 and 21-17 straight set victory as the number two pair. Saint Leo's number four pair of Erin Johnson and Paula Perez Rosales also won in straight sets to put the host school up 2-1. The number one pair for Saint Leo rallied from a first set loss to force a deciding set where they ultimately fell 15-13 tying the match at 2-2. The Tritons claimed the match victory with a win by the number three pair using the same 15-13 score to clinch.

(5) ECKERD 3, (3) SAINT LEO 2
1. Madison Hardbarger/Anna Jupin (EC) def. Madison Moore/Anna Intagliata (SLU); 21-18, 13-21, 15-13
2. Emma Laade/Thalie Brossard (SLU) def. Brooke Hand/Maddie Prois (EC); 21-11, 21-17
3. Teagan Vandermey/Ella Kloepper (EC) def. Tajma Muharemovic/Caitlyn Kemer (SLU); 19-21, 21-18, 15-13
4. Erin Johnson/Paula Perez Rosales (SLU) def. Marti Boser/Emma Samuelson (EC); 21-14, 21-16
5. Addie White/Jessi Meghreblian (EC) def. Paige Reeves/Abby VanBuskirk (SLU); 21-15, 21-11
Order of finish: 2, 5, 4, 1, 3
 
UP NEXT
The Lions will take a few days to recharge and regroup before heading to Gulf Shores, Alabama for the 2026 AVCA Small College Beach Championship, April 16-19.