WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Palm Beach Atlantic volleyball entered Saturday on a three-match winning streak and looked to extend it against SSC-foe Florida Tech.

PBA (8-6, 23-4 SSC) went five sets in a win over Saint Leo on Friday, and Saturday's match against the Panthers mirrored the previous night. Florida Tech (7-7, 2-4 SSC) took the first set before by a pair of set wins for the Sailfish put PBA ahead, 2-1. FT stayed alive with a 27-25 win in the fourth set. Unfortunately for the Sailfish, this time they failed to muster some fifth-set magic. The Panthers took the final set, 15-11.

Kaileigh Ammons and Kayla Matthews led the Sailfish attack with 15 kills each. Ammons caught fire in the middle of the match and finished with a .583 hitting percentage. Matthews totaled 22 digs with one block. Abbie Zylstra added 12 kills, nine digs, and four blocks. Mary Morgan Formby tallied 11 digs and four blocks. Anna Gregerson recorded nine kills, hitting .278 with seven blocks. Jayden Otto finished with a season-high 52 assists and 16 digs. Lauren Cummings recorded a career-high 25 digs and eight assists as libero. Jayna Bredenberg totaled 15 digs in the match.

The first set was very even until the Panthers pulled away late in the frame. A 4-0 run from Florida Tech gave the visitors a 21-16 lead. A service error and an attack error from PBA made it 24-19 FT.  A block from Otto and Gregerson made it 24-20, but Florida Tech put the set away with a kill, taking it 25-20.

Florida Tech pulled away to a 19-16 lead in the second set. The Panthers increased their lead to 23-19 thanks to some unforced errors from the Sailfish. PBA refused to give in, rattling off six consecutive points to win 25-23. The 6-0 run included an ace from Otto, a block from Gregerson and Zylstra, and kills from Gregerson and Formby. An attack error from the Panthers secured a win for the Sailfish.

The third set was dominated by the PBA middles, Gregerson and Ammons. The duo combined for 10 kills in the set, including seven from Ammons. The sophomore scored four straight points for PBA to give the 'Fish an 18-10 lead. PBA cruised to a 25-16 set win. The 'Fish held the Panthers to a .088 hitting percentage in the set.

With Florida Tech leading 20-16 in the fourth set, the Sailfish worked their way back into the set. A Panther service error and a pair of kills by Matthews started an 8-0 run that put PBA ahead 24-20. FT stayed alive with a 5-0 run of its own, including a pair of kills a block, and a bad set by the 'Fish to take a 25-24 lead. A kill from Formby tied it at 25, but a kill and an ace by the Panthers clinched a 27-25 win for the visitors.

PBA dug itself a whole early in the fifth set. The Panthers jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the first half of the set. The Sailfish faced an 11-4 deficit but worked their way back into the set. Kills from Ammons, Matthews, and Formby helped cut the score to 13-11 FT. The Sailfish failed to complete the comeback, dropping the final set, 15-11.

The Sailfish totaled 33 unforced errors in the match and were outhit, .222 - .181. This is Florida Tech's first victory over the 'Fish since 2010.

PBA looks to bounce back next week when it travels to face the defending national champions, Tampa. The match at Tampa takes place at 7 p.m.