FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Palm Beach Atlantic Volleyball team continued play at the 2019 Shark Invitational on Saturday.
 
The Sailfish faced a tough matchup to start the day in the form of No. 7 Lewis University (4-0). After winning two of the first three sets, PBA (3-1) seemed poised to complete the upset; however, the Flyers fought back winning the fourth and fifth sets to defeat the Sailfish 3-2.
 
PBA was able to bounce back in its afternoon match against Millersville (1-3). After losing the first set, the Sailfish regrouped to beat the Marauders in four sets.
 
The 'Fish will try to build on their 3-1 record next weekend when they travel to Hillsdale, Michigan, to compete in the Hillsdale College Invitational where PBA will play four games in two days. The Sailfish play their first match on Friday at 11 a.m. against Ashland.
 
No. 7 Lewis 3, No. 15 Palm Beach Atlantic 2
 
PBA's first matchup on Saturday was a tightly contested affair between two top-25 programs. Three out of the five sets went past regulation, including the fifth set which Lewis came from behind to win.
 
The first set of the match featured nine lead changes. The Sailfish led the set 24-23 before Lewis scored three straight points to steal the set and take a 1-0 lead. Sam Wolf led the Sailfish with four kills in the set.
 
The Sailfish bounced back in the second set with their most efficient offensive attack of the match. PBA hit .333 as a team on its way to tying the match at one set apiece. Eight kills by Amber Rowoldt led the Sailfish to a 25-21 win in the second set.
 
Despite hitting just .175, PBA never trailed in the third set. A four-point scoring run in the middle of the set gave the Sailfish a 15-9 lead. The Flyers did not go down without a fight, battling back to tie the set at 21. Both teams fought back and forth until the score was again tied at 25. Kills from Caroline Swan and Wolf sealed the third set for PBA and gave the Sailfish a 2-1 lead in the match.
 
PBA was unable to put Lewis away in the fourth set. The Flyers took a 16-15 lead in the middle of the game and never looked back. They won the fourth set by a score of 25-20.
 
The Sailfish jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the deciding set. A service ace by Ally Smith made the score 9-4 and forced the Flyers to take a timeout. Lewis came out firing with a three-point run after the break. PBA was able to withstand the run and held a 14-10 lead at the tail end of the set; however, the 'Fish were unable to get the final point to complete the upset. The Flyers rattled off six consecutive points to win the game 16-14 and avoid the upset.
 
Rowoldt led the Sailfish with 22 kills while adding 10 digs to the cause. Wolf finished the match with 18 kills and hit .302 for the game. Jazz Schmidt tallied 53 assists and 18 digs while Lilly Turner recorded 22 digs in the match.

No. 15 Palm Beach Atlantic 3, Millersville 1
 
Despite a six-kill performance from freshman Jordan Rush, the Sailfish came up short in the first set. Late in the set, the 'Fish led 24-22, but Millersville scored four consecutive points to steal the first set.
 
PBA recomposed in the second set. The Sailfish led the entire game, winning the set 25-23 punctuated by a Jennie Anderson kill. Rowoldt led the fish wish five kills while Swan added three kills of her own. The 'Fish hit .257 as a team in the set. 
 
The Sailfish continued to feed Rowoldt in the third set. The reigning SSC freshman of the year had seven kills while leading PBA to a 25-20 win. Wolf and Schmidt added three kills each in set three.
 
The fourth game was a back and forth contest that featured 11 lead changes. PBA hit just .167 as a team, but was still about to clinch the match by winning the fourth set 26-24 thanks to a kill by Wolf and an ace by Anderson down the stretch.
 
PBA moved to 3-1 on the year despite being outhit by Millersville .237 to .221. Rowoldt totaled 17 kills and 14 digs. Schmidt did it all for the Sailfish recording 38 assists, 10 kills, 17 digs and two blocks. Turner led the Sailfish with 20 digs and added 11 assists to the cause. Anna Gregerson made her presence felt in the middle with six blocks.

Rowoldt and Wolf were both named to the all-tournament team. Rowoldt totaled 59 kills, 51 digs with five aces, and Wolf posted 40 kills while hitting an efficient .319 with seven blocks.