FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - The Palm Beach Atlantic women's basketball team hit the road for their first Sunshine State Conference road game of the season against the Nova Southeastern Sharks. After three close quarters of play, the Sharks were able to build a lead in the fourth and give the Sailfish their first SSC defeat of the season. PBA falls to 2-4 and 1-1 in SSC play on the season.

The two sides played to a close first quarter, as each side shot it well from the field in the opening ten minutes of play. Chelsea Aalim and Kash Ayuso each started out 2-of-2 from the floor in the opening quarter to lead PBA as Aalim scored five and Ayuso four points. The 'Fish were 6-of-13 from the field in the first quarter as they trailed by one point, 16-15, behind an offensive rebounding advantage and free throw advantage by the Sharks.

In the second, the Sharks built a double-digit lead outscoring the Sailfish 24-15 in the quarter. Sia Williams did her best to keep the Sailfish offense going with her seven points on 2-of-3 shooting, but the Sharks were led by McKenah Peters who scored 12 in the quarter and a game-high 22. The Sharks scored nine second-chance points as they attacked the offensive glass in the opening half.

In the third quarter, the Sailfish turned up the heat defensively on NSU with their full-court press. PBA stormed back to take the lead by the end of the quarter led by Maria Benitez-Zayas who scored eight. The Sailfish forced ten Sharks turnovers as they closed the half on a 17-2 run while shooting 9-of-19 from the field. Mariyah Fletcher added six points for PBA while Williams was solid defensively with three steals. The Sailfish could have built a bigger lead and extended their run, but they were just 5-of-13 from the free-throw line in the quarter. 

The Sailfish used a lot of their energy to go on a run and regain the lead but in the fourth quarter, the Sharks regained their footing to retake the lead and pull away late. PBA was just 5-of-16 in the final quarter of play while the Sharks shot 57 percent and were 9-of-12 from the line. In their first SSC loss of the season, PBA recorded four players in double figures, Williams (16), Benitez-Zayas (12), Ayuso, and Aalim (10). PBA finished 25-of-60 from the floor as they did a majority of their work inside the paint going just 1-of-7 from three. 

Up next, the Sailfish face another tough test as they head to Lakeland, Fla. on Saturday to face Florida Southern. Traditionally a power in the SSC, the Mocs are 2-4 early in the season and 1-1 in SSC play.