TAMPA, Fla. – Facing a team for the third time in a season is always a challenge and on Friday night, No. 3 seeded Palm Beach Atlantic took down No. 2 seed Florida Southern in an epic 3-2 battle from the Clemente Center on the campus on the University of Tampa in the NCAA South Regional Semi-Final. The Sailfish now advance to the South Regional Final Saturday night at 7:00 pm, marking the second time in past three seasons PBA has reached the final.

FSC came in to the regional ranked No. 13 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll, while PBA was ranked No. 19. The Moccasins took an exciting five-set match in the Rubin Arena earlier in the season, and then dismantled the Sailfish on their homecourt in Lakeland just two weeks ago. Friday night the two teams were locked in a heavyweight battle from the first serve, but the match and season came down to the fifth set.

Palm Beach Atlantic played from behind the entire match, and the final set was no different. The Mocs jumped ahead early, holding leads of 5-3 and 10-7 in the race to 15. Florida Southern held their largest lead at 11-8 before the Sailfish came charging back. PBA scored four of the next five points to tie the game at 12-12, and went on to rally off three of the final four points for the win.

The fifth set was a microcosm of the match in its entirety, as PBA came from behind in each of their set wins in the first and third.  In the first set, it was Faith Rohn who pounded out five kills and led a minor two-point comeback late in the match for the 25-23 win. Perhaps the greatest comeback of the night came in the third set.

After Florida Southern controlled the second set and won 25-21, they came back out rolling in the third set. The Mocs jumped out to a 12-5 lead early on, and led by an 18-12 advantage when the Sailfish turned up their intensity. FSC called a timeout when the ‘Fish cut the deficit to four at 18-14, then PBA continued their comeback behind the serving prowess of senior Melissa Buckingham, cutting the once 7-point hole to just one.

FSC seemed to regain their bearings, pushing their advantage to 23-20 with the end of the set in sight. Junior Stephany Brown stepped up with a kill and Rohn followed with an ace to bring PBA within one point, but the Moccasins responded by taking the Sailfish to set point at 24-22. Freshman Stephanie Pingyin pounded out two straight kills after a Florida Southern error to give Palm Beach Atlantic a 25-24 lead.  Another Pingyin kill and FSC error led to an exciting 27-25 win.

Palm Beach Atlantic received a career-night from sophomore middle blocker Emma Ballantyne, who finished with a match-high 20 kills. Ballantyne combined with freshman Sarah Ragland, who finished the match with 16 kills, for five kills in the decisive fifth set. Rohn also finished in double-digit kills with 14.

Defensively, PBA received masterful nights from Buckingham, Rachael Holehouse, Becca Acevedo, and Lauren Alberti, who each finished with 20 or more digs. The senior duo of Acevedo and Buckingham led the way with 24 digs apiece, while Holehouse put up 23 and also contributed two aces from the service line. Acevedo finished the game with 55 assists.

The Sailfish return to action Saturday night at 7 pm as they play the University of Tampa in the NCAA South Regional Final.