WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Palm Beach Atlantic women's basketball team took on Lynn tonight in a home Sunshine State Conference battle. After winning six of their last seven, the Sailfish fell in a defensive battle tonight 57-51. PBA's record falls to 9-7 overall and 3-5 in SSC play with the defeat.

The Sailfish continued their theme of slower offensive first halves tonight as they fell behind 17-12 after the opening ten minutes of play. All five starters did score for the 'Fish in the quarter as Kash Ayuso led the way with five points. PBA hit on 5-of-16 shots from the floor while the Fighting Knights hit 8-of-16 to take a small lead.

The second quarter ended up costing the Sailfish as they went cold from the field. They scored just six points as they went nearly eleven minutes without a field goal which was broken by an Ayuso three-pointer with seconds remaining in the half. Despite the offensive struggles, PBA's defense kept them within striking distance as they held Lynn to 25 percent in the quarter and trailed by only ten points, 28-18, at the half.

PBA has seemed to find themselves at halftime over the past few games and that continued tonight as they showed grit to battle their way back into the game. Still shorthanded, much of the Sailfish offensive load falls on Ayuso and she responded in the third quarter scoring 12 of her game-high 27 points. Karyzma Pierre pitched in with four points in the quarter and cut the deficit to just six after the third.

Four straight Ayuso free throws in the fourth quarter got PBA to within four points, but that was as close as the Sailfish would get as the Knights did enough to protect their lead and hold onto a six-point win as each side scoring 17 points in the final quarter.

Each side shot in the low 30 percents from the field and each forced 16 turnovers. Pierre was the lone other Sailfish to crack double figures as she finished with 12 points and nine rebounds. Mariyah Fletcher led the team with 11 rebounds but was just 1-for-6 from the floor as she and inside partner Ashleigh Boulin combined for just four points. Jillian Schenk had eight for PBA but it was Ayuso who was the main spark offensively as she finished 9-of-21 from the field with 27 points and seven rebounds.

The Sailfish return to action this Saturday as they stay home to host Eckerd. The Tritons entered today 9-6 overall and with a 4-4 SSC record.