PENSACOLA, Fla. – The Palm Beach Atlantic volleyball team played a regular season match for the first time in 650 days on Friday at the West Florida Invitational.
 
PBA (2-0) played a pair of matches on Friday, beginning with a morning start against Spring Hill (0-2). The Sailfish started their season on a strong note, sweeping the Badgers 3-0. The 'Fish ended the day with an upset win over No. 23-ranked Wheeling (1-2), defeating the Cardinals, 3-1.
 
The Sailfish conclude their time in Pensacola tomorrow with matches against Southern Indiana and West Florida who are each receiving votes in the AVCA top-25. The first match against USI starts at noon.
 
Palm Beach Atlantic - 3, Spring Hill - 0 
 
PBA started the first set by getting out to a quick 10-3 lead. The Sailfish controlled the first half of the set, leading 15-7 after several Spring Hill errors. The Badgers did not go away easily as a 9-2 run by SHC cut the PBA lead to one. Both teams traded points until SHC eventually tied the set at 21. A kill from Maddy Hooper regained the lead for the 'Fish who closed out the set with three kills from Alyse Cundiff, to win 25-23. The first set was PBA's most efficient set of the match on offense, hitting .300.
 
The Badgers tried to ride their momentum from the end of the first set by taking a 7-3 lead in set two. A pair of attack errors by SHC let the Sailfish back in the set. While trailing 10-6, PBA went on a 7-2 run, including two kills each from Cundiff and Mary Morgan Formby to take a 13-12 lead. The 'Fish pulled away just a few points later when they went on an 8-1 run which included three kills from Amber Rowoldt, two aces from Ally Smith, and a kill from Jazz Schmidt. PBA won the second set, 25-18 after a kill from Hooper. The Sailfish front line showed out in the second set with eight blocks at the net.
 
Looking for the sweep, the Sailfish pulled away in the middle of the third set. With the score tied at nine, PBA went on a 6-1 run, with four kills from Cundiff sandwiched between kills from Rowoldt and Anna Gregerson. The 'Fish kept their distance for most of the set, withstanding a 4-0 run late from Spring Hill to win the third set 25-20 to clinch the match. The PBA defense was nearly flawless in the final set, allowing just six kills.
 
Cundiff led PBA with 15 kills while hitting .296 with Rowoldt right behind her with 14 kills of her own while hitting .367.  Schmidt notched a double-double to start the season with a team-high 32 assists to go with 11 digs. Smith totaled 11 digs and four service aces as the libero. PBA totaled 19 blocks in the contest with the freshman Hooper leading the way with five denials.
 
Palm Beach Atlantic - 3, Wheeling - 0 
 
PBA picked up right where it left off in match number two. A 7-1 run, ended by a kill from Hooper, gave the 'Fish a 15-12 lead in the opening set. Wheeling slowly worked its way back with a PBA service error slimming down the Sailfish lead, 20-19. The 'Fish rallied down the stretch with a 5-1 run with a block from Hooper and Rowoldt putting the exclamation point on a 25-20 set win. PBA recorded just two attacking errors in the set.
 
The Cardinals regrouped and battled back in the second set, taking a quick 9-4 lead. A trio of kills from Cundiff, and a block from Hooper and Formby cut into the Wheeling lead; however, the Cardinals responded with a 10-2 run to take a 21-12 lead. PBA tried to rally with a 6-2 run, but it was too little too late as Wheeling won the second set, 25-19.
 
The intensity was increased at the start of the third set as both teams traded points to end up tied 15-15 at the midway point. A 6-2 run with kills from Rowoldt and Gregerson along with a block by Schmidt gave the 'Fish a 21-18 lead. A 3-0 run from Wheeling tied the set at 21 which started a run of alternating points by both teams. The match was tied at 25 before a kill from Schmidt and an ace by Cundiff closed out the tough set for PBA, 27-25.
 
PBA wasted no time closing out the match in the fourth set. A 7-1 run from the 'Fish, including a pair of kills from Formby, an ace from Cienna Oniwa and two aces from Lauren Cummings put PBA ahead 20-16. Experience came through for the Fish down the stretch with kills from Schmidt and Amber Rowoldt setting the Sailfish up with a 24-20 lead. The freshman, Cummings closed out the win with a kill to seal the match.
 
Cundiff led PBA with 17 kills while hitting an efficient .389 with three blocks. Rowoldt added 15 kills of her own while hitting .200 with three blocks. Gregerson reached 12 kills with four blocks while hitting .391. Schmidt finished with 53 assists which tied a career-high along with 10 kills and seven digs. Cummings led PBA with 11 digs in her second collegiate match while Hooper led the 'Fish with a team-high five blocks.