SAINT LEO, Fla. – The Palm Beach Atlantic volleyball team earned a win over Sunshine State Conference Foe Saint Leo on Friday night.
PBA (6-8, 2-5 SSC) faced a test in Saint Leo (8-5, 3-4 SSC), a team that entered the night in the top half of the conference standings. SLU had not lost a match at home all season until tonight. The Sailfish started their weekend on a high note, sweeping the Lions 3-0. The win snapped a five-game skid for PBA.
Taylor Nelson led the PBA attack with 10 kills, hitting .214 with seven digs. Middles
Kaileigh Ammons and
Harper Stokes tied with nine kills each, both hitting over .400 on the night. Stokes made her presence felt on defense totaling six blocks.
Abbie Zylstra added seven kills with six digs and two blocks.
Jayden Otto finished with 24 assists.
Payton Ahrenstorff led the 'Fish with nine digs as libero.
The Sailfish attack started slow in the first set, allowing the hosts to take a 19-14 lead. A 7-1 run that included three attack errors and a service error allowed PBA to gain a 21-20 advantage. Both teams traded points, but the Sailfish front row came up clutch as the set wound down. A kill by Ammons made it 24-23. Stokes helped put the set away with a kill followed by a solo block to clinch the set for the 'Fish 26-24.
PBA kept its momentum going in the second set. The visitors established a 16-8 lead thanks to the efforts of Stokes, Nelson, and Zylstra. The Lions stormed back to cut the deficit to two points, but the Sailfish responded with a 5-0 run that included three consecutive kills from Nelson to make it 24-17. SLU nearly came all the way back, but another kill by Nelson closed out the set, 25-22.
The third set was PBA's best from an efficiency standpoint. The Sailfish hit a match-best .308 in what turned out to be the final set of the evening. Stokes finished her strong performance by notching a pair of kills and a block to earn PBA's final three points in a 25-21 set win.
PBA outhit the Lions in the match .193 - .134. The Sailfish finished with a 60 percent side-out percentage.
The 'Fish compete against on Saturday against Eckerd. The match in St. Petersburg, Fla. takes place at 4 p.m.
