MIAMI, Fla. - The Palm Beach Atlantic beach volleyball team closed out a busy week of play as they faced Jacksonville and Florida Gulf Coast at the FIU Surf N' Turf Tournament. The Sailfish fell to JU 4-1 in the afternoon before falling to FGCU 4-1 in the evening. The Sailfish record drops to 9-11 on the season with the defeats.
Match 1: PBA - 1 | JU - 4
The Sailfish faced the Dolphins for the second time this season and the final result was the same as PBA fell to their division one opponent from northern Florida 4-1 again.
Lunden Evans and
Mya Krystosek couldn't get anything going against the Dolphins' top pair as PBA fell 21-18, 21-13. The No. 2 match went the way of the opponents in an extremely close match as
Ashleigh Holweger and
Rebekah Machovec went down in three sets 15-21, 21-18, 17-15.
Julia Golichowski and partner
Natalie Skopalova lost the No. 4 match 21-17, 21-19 while
Karla Cantero and
Abigail Mason came up short at the No. 5 position 21-16, 21-14. The lone win came at the No. 3 position as
Gabriella Aziz and
Savannah DeCarlo rolled in two sets 21-17, 21-13 to take down their Dolphins' opponents.
Match 2: PBA - 1 | FGCU - 4
The Sailfish squared off with the Eagles for the first time this season after facing FGCU five times last year. The Sailfish played tight extended sets against FGCU today starting with the No. 1 pair of Evans and Krystosek who were just unable to close out either of their two sets as they fell 22-20, 22-20. The No. 2 match with Holweger and Machovec went the way of the Eagles 21-14, 21-19 while the No. 4 match with Golichowski and Skopalova also didn't go PBA's way 21-13, 23-21. Aziz and DeCarlo were close to getting their second win of the day as they reached 21 points in two sets but fell in an extended second set and third 17-21, 23-21, 15-8. The 'Fish found their win at the No. 5 position as Mason and Cantero pulled out a close first set 24-22 and pulled away in the second 21-17.
It was a busy week for the Sailfish that saw them play six matches. They will get a week off and return to play against two Sunshine State Conference schools in Florida Southern and Eckerd on March 25. PBA has historically handled both opponents as the 'Fish are a combined 12-0 against the two schools.
