MIAMI SHORES, Fla. — The Palm Beach Atlantic volleyball team edged No. 3-ranked Barry in a five-set thriller, 25-23, 27-25, 18-25, 20-25, 20-18, on Tuesday at the Health & Sports Center. 

Tonight's victory marked the first ranked win for PBA since defeating No. 22-ranked Barry in 2023, and it was also the first top ten win for the Sailfish since they beat No. 4-ranked Tampa in 2018. The Sailfish secured the victory with a decisive fifth set, highlighted by a pair of blocks to put an exclamation point on the victory. 

Kaley Board led PBA with 18 kills and delivered four blocks, amassing a team-high 20 points while hitting an efficient, .308. Grace Reynolds facilitated the offense, recording 46 assists across five sets. Harper Stokes contributed a strong attacking performance, finishing with 13 kills, hitting .308 with three blocks. Maggie Patterson finished with 12 digs and three service aces as libero. Nae Jordan and Sydney Corbett added five kills each. The Sailfish featured several different lineup changes with 16 different Sailfish seeing action.

"I'm super proud of our team," PBA head coach Jeff Huebner said. "Road wins are really tough in our league so this is a big deal. Kaley and Harper were awesome for us all match, with Grace running another day of incredible offense and a clutch blocking and serving. I loved how we were able to win set one while not playing our best, which I think is an important part of becoming a great team. One more opportunity for us to get on the road this week and we are looking forward to the opportunity!"

The Sailfish began the first set with a strong start as Reynolds delivered the opening point with a kill from Sofia Augusto. Despite trading early points, the 'Fish managed to stay in the game aided by key plays from Kelsey Rogers and Jordan. A series of errors by the Bucs allowed the 'Fish to close the gap, and Sydney Corbett's kill kept the margin tight at 7-8.

As the set progressed, Stokes and Reynolds contributed crucial points, helping the 'Fish narrow Barry's lead. A pivotal moment came when the 'Fish, trailing 15-8, staged a comeback with a series of kills and capitalized on Barry's errors to tie the set at 17-17. The 'Fish seized control late, powered by back-to-back kills from Board and Stokes, leveling the set at 22-22. Reynolds' service aces delivered the final blows, securing the set 25-23 for Palm Beach Atlantic.

The 'Fish began the second set with a quick response after conceding the first three points to Barry. Board and Corbett contributed kills that allowed the 'Fish to level the score at 5-5. Both teams exchanged points in a tight contest, with Reynolds facilitating multiple kills for the 'Fish, keeping the score evenly matched at 10-10. As the set continued, PBA got key contributions from Jordan and Board, who helped the visitors maintain momentum. Despite a late push from Barry, a clutch block by Reynolds, Board, and Stokes enabled the 'Fish to edge ahead at 26-25. The 'Fish capitalized on the momentum, with Board sealing the set with a decisive kill, concluding the set with a 27-25 win and giving the visitors an overall edge.

In the third set, PBA struggled to find consistent momentum against Barry's aggressive offense. Despite early attack errors, Stokes and Jordan contributed key kills that helped the 'Fish stay competitive. The set saw back-and-forth scoring with the 'Fish narrowing the gap to a 10-10 tie through a service ace by Patterson. However, the Bucs capitalized on a series of offensive plays, extending their lead to 20-12. Brighten Sedmack provided a late spark with a kill, but Barry maintained their advantage. The set concluded with Barry securing a 25-18 win, despite the 'Fish's efforts to close the deficit.

In the fourth set, PBA made an initial push with a block from Rogers and Board, leveling the score at 1-1 after Barry's opening point. A service ace by Rogers and a kill by Jordan helped tighten the score to 6-5, but Barry responded with a series of points, extending its lead to 10-5. The 'Fish managed to cut into Barry's lead with a service ace from Mia Rees and a series of kills by Stokes and Reynolds, narrowing the gap to 18-15. Despite a late push that included kills from Lexi Berry, Corbett, and a service ace by Sedmack, Barry closed the set with a final kill by Veronika Eremeeva, taking the set 25-20.

In the decisive fifth set, the Sailfish had to overcome an early deficit, trailing 6-1 after a series of errors. The team rallied with notable contributions from Board, who delivered three key kills, and Stokes, who added two more to narrow the gap. The 'Fish continued to battle, trading points with Barry as both teams vied for control. The Sailfish capitalized on multiple attack errors from Barry's side, allowing them to keep pace and eventually pull ahead 12-11. The set closed with the 'Fish securing a narrow 20-18 victory, bolstered by crucial blocks from Stokes, Board, and Reynolds on the final two points.. 

The match was very even with Barry narrowly outhitting the 'Fish .175-.168. Barry totaled eight service aces with PBA finishing with six. The hosts registered 11 blocks with the Sailfish tallying eight.

PBA is back in action on Thursday against Saint Leo. The match in St. Leo, Fla. takes place at 7 p.m.