Spartans Host Saint Leo for Dig Pink

TAMPA, Fla. - After a three-week road stint, the No. 1 University of Tampa volleyball team will return home to face Saint Leo University on October 27th at 7 p.m. in the Bob Martinez Athletics Center for its annual Dig Pink match.

The Sunshine State Conference showdown will feature the 17-4 Spartans versus the Lions with a 15-6 overall record. In SSC action, Tampa sits first with a 7-1 tally while Saint Leo is second with a 6-3 conference mark.

Tampa fell 3-2 to Lynn University in its previous matchup, snapping its 59-consecutive conference win streak dating back to Oct. 2011. Prior to the win, the Fighting Knights had not won a match against Tampa, as the Spartans held Lynn to a 37-0 all-time series. Right side hitter Marissa Lisenbee grounded a career-best 20 kills in the match, leading both squads on offense.

Outside hitter Berkley Whaley currently leads the Spartans in kills with 320 across 79 sets of play. The three-time SSC Player of the Week leads the conference in kills per set, averaging 4.16. Middle blocker Jessica Wagner is the SSC leader in attack percentage, totaling 227 kills at a blistering .450 clip to provide a strong compliment to Whaley.

Saint Leo is coming off a 3-1 victory over Embry-Riddle last Saturday. Libero Jamee Townsend anchored the defense with a career-best 34 digs in the four set match. The junior has 352 digs for the Lions to lead the squad on defense. Offensively, Saint Leo turns to outside hitter Hope Lemon as the junior has 223 kills for team lead. Senior right side hitter Anna Siruckova sits as the dual threat, leading the squad in attack percentage with a .276 efficiency, terminating 201 kills.

The last contest between the two squads concluded with a 3-0 sweep in favor of the Spartans. Tampa used the swift swing of Lisenbee, as the senior totaled 19 kills in the sweep. Senior Whaley led the defense with 15 digs to oust the Lions in consecutive stanzas. UT owns the all-time series record with a towering 69-1 tally; as Saint Leo picked up its lone win during the 2009 season.

Live stats as well as a live video webcast will be made available through www.tampaspartans.com. Fans in attendance are encouraged to wear pink in support of breast cancer awareness as the team will be collecting donations throughout the match in support.

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