Saint Leo University Athletics

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The Saint Leo University volleyball team wrapped up action at the Flagler Saints Invitational with a pair of matches including a hard fought 3-2 victory over Lees-McRae in the opening match. The Lions' second match, which was scheduled for 8 p.m., did not start until after 9:30 p.m. and went four sets as Saint Leo fell 3-1 to Valdosta State.
 
Saint Leo is now 2-5 on the season with one tournament remaining before the beginning of conference play.
 
The battle between the Lions and Bobcats went the distance Saturday as Saint Leo won 26-24, 27-25, 24-26, 23-25, 15-10. Junior Gina Stavile led the offensive attack for the Lions as she posted her first career double-digit performance with a team-best 15 kills while adding eight digs. Freshman Reagan Lyerla continued the strong start to her collegiate career as she posted her fourth-straight double-digit kill performance with a career-best 14. She also captured a double-double with a career-best 17 digs. Junior Chloe Danielson was the final Lion in double-figures as she posted a career-best 10 kills along with two digs and a block.
 
Junior Emma LeTourneau led the defensive effort at the net as she posted four solo blocks to go along with nine kills. Junior Mia Moser set a new career-best in the backrow as she tallied 30 digs while picking up three service aces. Freshman setter Jansen Warbritton had a career performance as she handed out 42 assists and dug up 16 balls for a double-double. She also added a team-high tying three service aces. Graduate student Giada Solorzano and freshman Elle Smith joined Moser, Lyerla, and Warbritton with double digit digs as Solorzano added 12 and Smith had 10.
 
In the late night match, the Lions jumped out to a lead with a 25-20 victory in the first set. The Blazers went on to win both the second and third sets by scores of 25-22. The final set started off with a 20-3 run by Valdosta State. The Lions battled back but eventually fell 25-10.
 
Freshman Shelby Toney led the Lions with a career-best 13 kills. Stavile picked up her second double-digit kill performance with 10 versus the Blazers along with four digs. Lyerla added seven kills ad 14 digs. Moser led the backline with 23 digs along with two service aces. Warbritton handed out 28 assists while adding 12 digs for another double-double. Smith and Solorzano just missed out on double-digit digs with nine and eight, respectively. LeTourneau added two more solo blocks and a block assist to finished with seven blocks on the day.
 
Saint Leo will return to action next weekend Sept. 11-12 for the Lions/Tritons Invitational. The Lions will travel to Eckerd on Friday, Sept. 11 for two matches against Franklin Pierce (12:15 p.m.) and Henderson State (7:00 p.m.) before opening the home portion of their schedule against Georgia College on Saturday, Sept. 12 at 2:30 p.m. All the Friday matches of the Lions/Tritons Invitational will be hosted by Eckerd while all the Saturday matches will be hosted by Saint Leo.