DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Palm Beach Atlantic volleyball team ended its road trip with a match against the undefeated Embry-Riddle Eagles on Saturday.

The match was a grueling battle in which the Sailfish pushed ERAU  (12-0, 4-0 SSC) to the limit, but unfortunately for the Sailfish, they ended up on the losing side of a 3-2 match. This was the fourth PBA (5-7, 1-3 SSC) match that went the distance. Each set was a close one with the scoring in three of the five sets needing extra points to settle the score.

Amber Rowoldt led PBA with a double-double of 21 kills and 14 digs. Jazz Schmidt finished with a triple-double of 55 assists, 16 digs, and 13 kills. Alyse Cundiff added 18 kills with six digs. Mary Morgan Formby totaled 17 kills, hitting an efficient .353. Ally Smith led PBA with 25 digs, nine, and two service aces.

PBA continued the theme from yesterday's match of coming back from early deficits. The Sailfish fought back from a 10-4 deficit to start the opening set. An ace from Smith gave PBA its first lead of the set, 16-15. The match was tied at 20 as each team traded points. A kill from Rowoldt gave the 'Fish a 24-23 lead, but PBA was unable to close the set. The Sailfish had the opportunity to earn the set-point, four times, but it took an ace from Schmidt on the fifth attempt to seal the 31-29 set win.

It seemed as if PBA was going to run away with the second set. The 'Fish jumped out to a small lead early and a 5-0 run in the middle of the set with a pair of kills from Schmidt, and kills from Rowoldt and Cundiff made it 20-13. ERAU crawled its way back with a 6-1 run taking advantage of a service error and two unforced attacking errors from PBA. The Sailfish held a 24-23 lead again but was unable to close the set again. The hosts nearly stole a set win with a 26-25 lead, but the Sailfish ended the set with kills from Cundiff and Rowoldt along with an ace from Rowoldt to take the set, 28-26.

ERAU took an 11-9 lead in the third set after a 7-1 run and never looked back. Another 6-1 run later in the set made it 18-13 which was too much of a deficit to overcome for the Sailfish. ERAU won its first set of the day, 25-19.

The Eagles grabbed another early lead in the fourth set, with a PBA attacking error making it a 15-9 advantage. A 4-0 run later in the set increased PBA's deficit as ERAU led, 22-14. PBA tried to fight its way back with a 7-2 run to make it 24-21. Unfortunately for the 'Fish, it was too little too late as ERAU won the set, 25-21.

The Sailfish gave it their best effort in the fifth set. PBA gained a 9-5 lead after a block from Cundiff put the exclamation point on a 6-1 run. A couple of unforced errors from the Sailfish allowed ERAU to stay alive as the Eagles retook the lead, 11-10. Neither team was willing to give in as the set was tied at 15 with the match on the line. Errors came back to bite the 'Fish again with a service error and attacking error from PBA allowed ERAU to take the set 17-15 and the match, 3-2.

The difference in the match came down to each team's attack errors. PBA finished with 40 attack errors in the match compared to 14 for the Eagles. ERAU found a defensive advantage in the front row, totaling 14 blocks compared to seven for the Sailfish.

The Sailfish return home to face top 25-ranked Tampa on Friday. The match at Rubin Arena starts at 7 p.m.