WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Palm Beach Atlantic volleyball team began its weekend with a Sunshine State Conference matchup at home against Florida Tech.

The Sailfish faced the Panthers, who entered the match having received votes in the AVCA top 25. PBA looked to get revenge on Tech after dropping its match to the Panthers in Melbourne earlier in the season. The Sailfish front row recorded more blocks than Tech, and PBA matched the visitors in aces, but the hosts were outhit .205 – .062, which made the difference in the match. The Panthers earned a 3-0 win to increase their winning streak to nine games.

Sydney Corbett led the Sailfish offense with six kills and nine digs. Giulia Santuari added five kills, hitting a team-best .267. Anna Beth Stokes recorded a team-leading 16 assists with seven digs and two blocks. Kelsey Rogers notched five kills with two blocks. Harper Stokes made her presence felt at the net with six blocks. Savanna Rogers led the team with 18 digs as libero.

"Sav did a good job for us today, controlling the court in receive and on defense," PBA head coach Jeff Huebner said. "I thought she did a fantastic job adjusting to another new position this year and excelling. Giulia also had a good match for us as an attacker, and we will look to do a better job with distribution tomorrow."

The Sailfish were aggressive at the net in the first set. PBA recorded four blocks in the frame, including two from H. Stokes and K. Rogers. The Sailfish struggled to execute their attack, hitting .044 as a team. Tech earned an early lead and stayed ahead, winning 25-19.

The Panthers built another early lead in the second set after a pair of blocks. The 'Fish answered with a small run, including an ace by Mary Jones to cut the deficit down to two. Tech regained control with a 6-0 run including two unforced attack errors by the Sailfish. The visitors held on to win, 25-17. 

The third set was evenly matched for the majority of the set. The Panthers pulled away with a 6-1 run, including a pair of aces to make it 16-12. Middles H. Stokes and K. Rogers helped the 'Fish get back into the match, and an ace by A. Stokes eventually tied the set at 22. Unfortunately for the 'Fish, their comeback attempt came up short after three kills from the Panthers.

"I liked our team defensive effort tonight," Huebner said. "We did a much better job pursuing the ball and solving digs today, which I think started with Sav and our Setters. They both put together the best right-back defense we've played this year. SAILGATING was a huge success, and we love having a full gym."

The Sailfish look to bounce back on Saturday with a match against Nova Southeastern. The match in Rubin Arena is set for 4 p.m.