JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The Palm Beach Atlantic beach volleyball team finished up play at the Dolphin Duel by facing off with Coastal Carolina and Saint Leo. The Sailfish dropped their first match of the year in a close one against the Chanticleers 3-2 before bouncing back with a 5-0 sweep of the Lions.
Match 1: PBA – 2, CCU – 3
The Sailfish faced their most difficult test of the early season against a strong Chanticleer side that was 24-8 last season against a Division-I Atlantic Sun Conference schedule. The Sailfish got off to a strong start as they took the point at the No. 2 position when
Abby DeVido and
Lyndzey Minter won in three sets 21-18, 14-21, and 15-13. They then were on the wrong end of a three-set match as their No. 4 team of
Bailey Myott and
Emma Vann fell 15-10 in the third after taking the second set 21-15.
Karla Cantero and
Julia Golichowski fell at No. 5 in straight sets 21-16, 21-15. PBA's top side of
Jazz Schmidt and
Lunden Evans remained perfect on the year as they were victorious 21-16,21-16. The deciding point went the way of the Chants at the No. 3 position as
Gabriella Aziz and
Abigail Mason fell 21-16, 21-15. The loss is the first for the Sailfish on the season.
Match 2: PBA – 5, SLU - 0
The Sailfish turned their attention to a familiar foe in the afternoon as they faced off with Saint Leo. The two sides met previously this year when the 'Fish came out on top in a close 3-2 win. Today, the Sailfish were much more dominant in their win as they had a clean 5-0 sweep, winning every match in two sets. DeVido and Minter started it off by winning 21-18, 21-16 at No. 2 while Myott and Vann took their No. 4 match 21-12, 21-17. Schmidt and Evans clinched the match for PBA with their 21-12, 21-19 victory.
Caroline Henderson and
Lorrayne Silva made their season debut as a tandem, taking the No. 5 match 21-10, 21-19 while Aziz and Mason completed the sweep winning 21-16, 21-19.
It was a successful tournament for the Sailfish, as they won three of four matches overall and 15 of 20 individual matches on the weekend. PBA will return to action on March 4 when they face Austin Peay and UNC-Wilmington in Boca Raton.
