MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – The Palm Beach Atlantic volleyball team hit the road on Tuesday for a rematch against the Barry Bucs.
The Sailfish looked to complete the season sweep over Barry. PBA edged out the Bucs in the first set despite hitting .061 in the frame. That proved unsustainable as the Sailfish dropped the next three sets as the hosts earned a 3-1 win.
Anna Beth Stokes led the Sailfish with 10 kills, eight digs, and six blocks.
Mary Morgan Formby and
Abbie Zylstra recorded seven kills each.
Jayden Otto led PBA with 21 assists and 11 digs.
Payton Ahrenstorff led the 'Fish with 12 digs as libero.
Jayna Bredenberg scooped 11 digs.
Outside of the first point, the Sailfish led for the entirety of the opening set. The Bucs hit just .189 with serve receive plaguing Barry. PBA totaled five service aces in the set, its best of the day. The Sailfish built a 22-17 late in the set, but Barry did not go down easily. A 5-1 run by the hosts made it 23-22. A service error boosted the Sailfish to a 24-22 lead, and a kill from Formby put the set away, 25-23.
The second set saw a similar script. Late in the set, a 4-1 run by the 'Fish gave PBA a 21-19 lead and forced a Barry timeout. A service error after the timeout made it 21-20 PBA. A block by A. Stokes and
Kaileigh Ammons, followed by an error by the Bucs, gave PBA a 23-20 lead. Unfortunately for PBA, it could not hold on this time. Barry ended the set on a 5-0 run with three kills, an ace, and an attack error. A 25-23 win by the Bucs tied the match at one set apiece.
Barry kept the momentum in the third set. BU grabbed an early lead and never looked back, winning the set 25-13 to take a 2-1 lead. After Barry built a 21-10 lead in the fourth set, the Sailfish tried to crawl back with a block from
Harper Stokes and A. Stokes followed by a kill from Zylstra; however, it was too little too late as the Bucs won the set 25-14.
The Sailfish compete again on Friday night when they travel to face Florida Tech. The match in Melbourne, Fla. takes place at 7 p.m.