Freshman (2017):
Saw action in 36 matches and her 124 sets of play were third most on the team ... Named UAA Rookie of the Year ... Honorable Mention All-UAA ... Posted 17 matches of double-figure kills ... Fourth on the squad and 14th among UAA players in kills average (2.60 kps) ... Led or shared for team honors in terminations on four occasions ... Second on the team with 10 kills and hit a club-best .381 (10-2--21) vs. Ithaca College (Nov. 16) in the quarterfinals of the NCAA D-III Championships ... Racked up a total of 322 kills, good for the No. 3 spot on the club ... Three double-doubles (kills/digs) to her credit including a 14-kills (second on the team), 14-digs effort in a 3-1 decision over No. 8-ranked Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Sept. 15) ... No. 2 on the team with 12 successful attack attempts and hit . 304 (12-5--23) vs. Washington University in the title match of the UAA Championships ... Helped Emory to a 3-2 win over No. 9 Carnegie Mellon (Nov. 3) in the semis of the UAA Championships after pounding out a season-high 16 kills ... Her hitting performance of .588 (12-2--17) against Case Western Reserve (Nov. 3) was the high-water mark by an Eagle during the season (12 or more kills) ... Keyed a 3-0 verdict over Transylvania (Sept. 22) with a match-high 15 kills, a hitting percentage of .423 (15-4--26) and seven digs ... Big outing in a 3-1 triumph vs. Heidelberg (Sept. 23) at the Transylvania Invitational saw her rank second on the team with 12 kills while pacing the squad with season highs in digs (16) and aces (3) ... No. 2 on the club with 11 kills and 15 digs in a 3-0 outcome at Berry College (Oct. 10). 

High School:
Four-year member of the volleyball program at St. Joseph's Catholic School where she played for head coach Jan Carino …Helped her team to three Class A and one Class AA state championships … No. 3-ranked player in the state of South Carolina … As a senior, she totaled 331 kills and hit .391 in leading her squad to a 29-9 record and a Class AA championship … All-region selection on three occasions … All-State honoree her junior and senior seasons … Chosen to play in the North-South All-Star Match … Also played on the basketball team while at St. Joseph's.

Played club volleyball for Axis Elite where she was mentored by Sean Fitzgerald and Mike Whitten. 

Personal:
Daughter of Steve and Joanne Saunders ... Born Oct. 15 ... Majors in anthropology and human biology.


Leah Saunders Career Stats

 
Leah Saunders Career-High Kill Matches