CLARION, Pa. – The Palm Beach Atlantic volleyball team opened its 2022 season at the Tony Banner Invitational hosted by Clarion University in Pennsylvania. The Sailfish played two matches on Friday, opening the day with Fayetteville State before facing off against Shippensburg.

The Sailfish starting lineup featured several new faces. After needing 27 points to fight off Fayetteville State in the first set of the first match, the Sailfish shook off the rust and put the Broncos away easily, 3-0. After dropping a set against Shippensburg later in the day, the Sailfish stormed back to defeat the Raiders, 3-1.

PBA concludes its time up north on Saturday. The Sailfish compete against Northwood at 11 a.m. followed by a match against the tournament hosts, Clarion at 5 p.m.

Match One – PBA: 3, FSU: 0

The Sailfish started slowly in the first set. The PBA starting lineup consisted of five newcomers to the 'Fish. Both teams traded leads until PBA pulled away with a 5-1 run to take an 18-14 lead after a block by Mary Morgan Formby. The Broncos battled back with a 6-1 run of their own to tie the opening set at 20. The teams traded points until the match was tied at 25. A kill from Formby and an error from the Broncos allowed PBA to take the first set, 27-25.

PBA erupted for a 17-7 lead in the second set. It seemed like an easy set win for the Sailfish, but FSU did not go away easily. An 8-2 run later in the set allowed the Broncos to cut the PBA lead to just three points, with the 'Fish leading 24-21. A kill by Angeleyshka Curbelo sealed the set for the Sailfish, 25-22 which gave PBA a 2-0 lead.

The 'Fish held control for the majority of the third set. A pair of kills by Anna Gregerson put the 'Fish ahead 14-6. Later in the set, an error by FSU made it a 21-12 PBA advantage. The Sailfish refused to let FSU make a comeback as Abbie Zylstra slammed the door with a kill to clinch the match and 3-0 sweep for the 'Fish.

Formby led PBA with nine kills and an impressive .571 hitting percentage on 14 attempts. Newcomers Curbelo, Zylstra, and Kaileigh Ammons tied for eight kills each in their Sailfish debuts. Zylstra led the squad with 16 digs with fellow freshman Jayne Bredenberg scooping up 13 balls in her first start as PBA's libero. Jayden Otto totaled 31 assists with 10 digs in her first game as a Sailfish. PBA outhit FSU .233 - .126 in the match, including an efficient .417 from the Sailfish in the final set. 

Match Two – PBA: 3, SU: 1

The Sailfish allowed Shippensburg to pull away early in the first set. SU took advantage of several PBA attack errors to take a 10-1 lead. The Sailfish regrouped and began to chip away at the deficit. An 8-1 run by the 'Fish cut the margin to just one as SU led 17-16. Unfortunately for PBA, it failed to complete the comeback, falling 25-20.

The Sailfish jumped out to an early lead in the second set. A Gregerson kill gave PBA a 14-7 lead midway through the set. SU fought back to tie the game at 21. A service error by the Raiders and kills by Lauren Cummings and Zylstra put the 'Fish ahead 24-21. SU scored a pair of points on unforced errors, but a kill by Gregerson put the set away, 25-23 for PBA.

With the 'Fish trailing 16-11 in the third set, PBA exploded back with a stunning 14-1 run to take a 2-1 lead in the match. The run consisted of three blocks by Ammons with two including Otto and one with Zylstra. The run also included four kills from Ammons who was responsible for half of the points in the run. 

The Sailfish kept their momentum in the fourth set, pulling away with a 17-9 lead. The 'Fish kept the Raiders at arm's length, never letting them back into the match. PBA ended the game on a 5-0 run to win the clinching set 25-15 after a pair of service aces by Ammons.

Zylstra led the Sailfish in kills with 16 while hitting .342 with 10 digs, her first double-double in her college career. The middles for PBA could do no wrong in the match. Ammons and Gregerson each tallied nine kills. Ammons hit .400 with six blocks while Gregerson hit .583 with a pair of denials. Mary Jones made her PBA debut with five kills, hitting .364. Bredenberg led the 'Fish with 18 digs while Otto totaled a team-high 48 assists with six digs and five blocks.

PBA outhit the Raiders .276 - .129 in the match. PBA's impressive third set finished with a .519 team-hitting percentage. The Sailfish defense forced SU to hit -.103 as a team in the fourth and final set.