POMPANO BEACH, Fla. - The Palm Beach Atlantic beach volleyball team hit the road today for a unique opportunity as they faced two of the top sides in the nation. The Sailfish took a game off the No. 1 ranked, and three-time defending national Southern California team, falling 4-1 before facing No. 12 ranked Florida International and falling 5-0. PBA's record moves to 9-8 on the year.

Match 1: #1 USC - 4 | PBA - 1
The Sailfish squared off with the top side in the nation for the first time and held their own, getting one of the five matches against the Trojans. Abigail Mason and Oda Homme suffered the first defeat for PBA at the No. 4 position, falling in straight sets 21-13, 21-14. The 'Fish got their win in the No. 5 match as the pair of Julia Golichowski and Abby Plevin bounced back from dropping the first set to take the second 21-19 and the third 15-13. The remaining of the top-three matches went in straight sets as PBA's top pair of Gabriella Aziz and Anna Dunbar fell 21-12, 21-6. Lola Ackman and Eva Herz lost the No. 2 match 21-10, 21-13 while the Trojans defeated Karla Cantero and Katelyn Nadeau at the No. 3 position 21-10, 21-10.

Match 2: #12 FIU - 5 | PBA - 0
After their morning match, the 'Fish returned to the courts this afternoon to take on Florida International. The two sides met for the third time already this season, with all of the matches going the Panther's way. After getting a match of the division I ranked side last time they played, PBA went down in all five positions today, pushing one to three sets. Coming off the big upset in the morning, Plevin and Golichowski were unable to repeat their magic as they dropped the No. 5 match 21-19, 21-14. Mason and Annika Huhtamaki played together in the No. 4 position, taking the opening set 21-8 before falling 21-17, 15-12 in the closing sets. Cantero and Nadeau came up short 21-17, 21-9 in the No. 3 match while Aziz and Ackman fell 21-17, 21-11 at position No. 2. Dunbar and Herz didn't have luck as the No. 1 pair as they fell 21-13, 21-7 against the Panthers top side.

The Sailfish continue their big step up in competition this weekend as they play two more matches tomorrow against top nationally ranked sides. The 'Fish face No. 5 ranked TCU in the morning before finishing the tournament with No. 16 ranked host FAU.