TAVARES, Fla. - The Palm Beach Atlantic beach volleyball team continued play at the AVCA Small College Championship this afternoon after a 2-0 day yesterday. The Sailfish finished off Pool C play by taking down Texas A&M Kingsville, who was also 2-0 in Pool C play, 4-1 before taking out Colorado Mesa 4-1 in Challenge Round play. The Sailfish take their season record to 16-6 as they are now three wins away from a postseason championship. 

Match 1: PBA 4, TAMKU 1

The Sailfish finished atop Pool C after taking down the Javelina in a close 4-1 match earlier this afternoon. The Sailfish got off to a strong start as their No. 1 and No. 2 position teams each pulled out close three-set matchups. PBA's No. 1 team of Jazz Schmidt and Lunden Evans bounced back from dropping the opening set 23-21 by taking the second 21-16 and an extended third set 19-17. Abby DeVido and Lyndzey Minter pulled out the No. 2 matchup after splitting the opening two sets 26-24, 21-23, and taking the decisive third set 15-9. Emma Pieper and Olivia Finckel were more convincing in their position No. 3 win taking the first two sets 21-19, 21-14. The Javelina got on the board by taking the No. 4 position match against Jessica Nodell and Sydney Wagner 21-16, 21-12, but PBA bounced back at position No. 5 as Gabriella Aziz and Julia Golichowski won in straight sets 21-19, 21-18. After the 4-1 win, the Sailfish sat atop Pool C and moved on to face Pool A runner-up Colorado Mesa in the Challenge round.

Match 2: PBA 4, CMU 1

With Gold Bracket seeding on the line against the Mavericks, the Sailfish No.1 duo of Schmidt and Evans had a strong performance to put PBA ahead winning both sets 21-9. DeVido and Minter pulled out a straight-set victory at the No. 2 position 21-17, 21-14. Pieper and Finckel were victorious once again as they rolled in two sets 21-18, 21-11. The Mavericks got their lone point in the match at position No. 4 as Nodell and Wagner fell in three sets 21-9, 20-22, 15-8. With the match already in hand, the No. 5 team of Aziz and Golichowski stayed perfect on the day winning a tight match 22-20, 19-21, 15-6.

After sitting atop Pool C in pool play, and winning their challenge match against Colorado Mesa, the Sailfish have been placed as the three seed in Gold Bracket tomorrow. The Sailfish are slated to face Saint Leo tomorrow at 9:00 am with the winner moving on to face Spring Hill in the semifinals at 11:00 am. The finals match will be played at 1:00 pm against  the winner of Texas A&M / Colorado Mesa playing Tampa on the other side of the bracket. 

Full information and scores on the AVCA Small College Championship can be found here.