GULF SHORES, Fla. – The Saint Leo University Beach Volleyball team earned its first trip to the semifinals since 2024 and just the second time in program history. The Lions took down McKendree and the top seed of Pool B, Colorado Mesa on the second day of the 2026 AVCA Small College Beach Volleyball Championships. After cruising to a 3-0 win over McKendree to start the day, the Lions faced its toughest task with the second-seeded Mavericks of Colorado Mesa earning a 3-2 win. The Lions swept the Pool play to secure their spot in the gold bracket and the chance to play for a national title.

The All-SSC number one pair of Emma Laade and Thalie Brossard continued its dominate run over the weekend. They took set one 21-8 and closed out the win with a 21-16 second set. Finishing right behind them was the number two pair of Madison Moore and Anna Intagliata won by nearly the same margin of victory with a 21-7 first set and a 21-15 second set. After a close first set win of 21-17, the four's pair of Tajma Muharemovic and Caitlyn Kemer clinched the match for the Lions with a 21-4 dominant second set.

The second match of the day saw Saint Leo take the first set on the odd numbered courts. After an injury forced a retirement from court two, the Mavericks jumped out to an early 1-0 lead. Colorado Mesa took a 2-0 lead with a win at court four. Emma Laade and Thalie Brossard sailed to a straight set win to improve  to 4-0 on the weekend. The match came down to the final two courts with the Lions needing to win both and the Mavs just needing one. Saint Leo won the first set on both the five and three courts and then Colorado Mesa forced a deciding set on both courts winning set two. The five's pair of Abby VanBuskirk and Paige Reeves got off to a dominant start as they lead 9-3 in the final set. The Mavericks five's started to chip away at the Lions lead to make it a 13-8 game. Both pairs traded points before the Lions took the set 15-10 in a hard fought battle.

With the match all tied at 2-2, the focus shifted to the third court and the third court alone. Needing extra points in the first set, Paula Perez Rosales and Erin Johnson won the first set 23-21 and lost the second set 21-13. As the second set saw the momentum shift to the Colorado Mesa side, the Lions three's pair shifted it right back in their favor. Just as the five's pair jumped out to an early lead I the final set, so did the fours. Saint Leo saw a five-point advantage quickly diminish as the teams changed sides but battle after battled. After getting word that the five's pair won and the match was tied at 2-2, that gave Erin Johnson the motivation she needed to close out the set. A back-and-forth battle saw both teams fighting and but did not give up. Colorado Mesa got the ball back to serve with the Lions leading 14-13 and sent the serve right into the middle of the net to give the Lions the 15-13 win in set three to send them to the Gold Bracket!

Saint Leo went 4-0 in pool play and was the lowest seed to advance to the gold bracket as the number seven-seed.

UP NEXT
Saint Leo begins play in the gold bracket at 10:05 a.m. against Concordia University Irvine. Then will return for the final match of the weekend at 2:50 p.m. as they will either play for a national title or third place against Tampa or Texas A&M Kingsville.