TAMPA, Fla. - The Palm Beach Atlantic men's soccer team returned to play on Saturday night on the road at the No. 11 ranked University of Tampa Spartans. After suffering their first defeat of the season in their last match against Saint Leo, the Sailfish bounced back in a big way taking down the Spartans 3-0 to move to 5-1 on the season. 

The Sailfish didn't take long to take the lead in their match against a top Sunshine State Conference side. In the fifth minute, PBA worked the ball into the top of the UT box and fired a shot that was stopped by the arm of a Spartan defender earning the 'Fish a penalty. Midfielder Quenzi Huerman stepped up the penalty spot and calmly put the ball past the Spartans keeper to put PBA up 1-0. 

The Sailfish recorded five total shots in the opening half as they looked to make the Spartans earn a potential equalizer after taking the lead early on. The Sailfish defense was solid as they kept Tampa at bay as goalie Guillermo Falo came up with four saves in the opening 45 minutes as PBA went into the half keeping their 1-0 lead.

It took eighteen minutes into the second half for the Sailfish to double their lead when Huerman got on the end of a flicked header in the middle of the field. He drove towards the UT goal and played a ball out to Federico Serra on the right-wing. Serra cut inside onto his left foot and curled a ball around a defender and the Spartan goalie just inside of the far post. The goal is Serra's second of the year as it was Serra's first game back after missing the last two. With a goal and an assist, Huerman now leads the team in goals (4) and assists (3).

After taking a stranglehold on the match in the 64th minute, the Sailfish kept their foot on the gas and struck for another just two minutes later. Charlie Lewis got on the end of a Serra corner at the back post and his header put the 'Fish ahead 3-0.

Falo was called upon to make four more saves in the second half, eight total, to earn a clean sheet against a Spartans side who entered the game with the highest goals per game average in the SSC. After being ranked No. 3 in the nation and falling out of the top-25 in their lone defeat, the Sailfish made a statement by taking down a conference rival on the road who was ranked No. 11 in the country. 

There will be little time to celebrate for PBA as up next they will face another top-25 ranked SSC team on the road. They will head to Fort Lauderdale on Oct. 6 to face a 5-1-1 Nova Southeastern team who is ranked No. 20 in the nation.