VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Palm Beach Atlantic volleyball team concluded its weekend in Georgia with matches against Shorter and Anderson.
 
The Sailfish picked up two more wins on Saturday, completing an undefeated weekend, moving to 7-1 on the season. PBA is off to its best start to a season since 2018.
 
I'm so proud of our team toughness today," PBA head coach Jeff Huebner said. "We continue to get better each match and find different ways where our whole team can play big time roles. This weekend on the whole was trademarked by a huge improvement in serve receive and defensive execution. Maggie, Grace and Lexi anchored the defense while Kaley, Rachel, Kelsey and Harper were great at the net. The way these units worked together really allowed us to stay in rallies, and win tough gritty points. Grace ran great offense and Harper, Rachel and Kelsey were really tough keeping pressure on the defense and point scoring. We can't wait to get the Fish Tank back together in Rubin on Friday!"
 
PBA hosts its annual Hyatt Place Bash at the Beach next weekend. The tournament begins on Friday with PBA playing its home opener on Friday against Lee at 6 p.m.
 
Match One – PBA: 3, SU: 0
 
The 'Fish swept Shorter 25-13, 25-23, 25-19 on Saturday at The Complex. With a commanding performance, the Sailfish capitalized on nine service aces and 42 kills, maintaining a .261 hitting percentage. The Hawks struggled offensively, hitting .138, and were unable to overcome PBA's strong defensive play, which included 57 digs and six total blocks.
 
Maggie Patterson led the 'Fish defense with 16 digs over three sets. Grace Reynolds served as a key playmaker, accumulating 28 assists. Harper Stokes contributed offensively with nine kills on 16 attempts, yielding a .313 hitting percentage. Rachel Smith was efficient at the net, recording eight kills and three total blocks, including one solo block, achieving a .462 hitting percentage.
 
Palm Beach Atlantic opened the first set capitalizing on early errors by SU, including a service error from Adalyn Stewart, to take a 1-0 lead. Reynolds orchestrated a strong offensive push, contributing multiple assists that helped build a lead, including a block by Stokes and Kaley Board to make it 11-5. The Sailfish extended its margin with a series of decisive plays, including two service aces by Patterson at 20-11, and ultimately closed the set with a commanding 25-13 victory, highlighted by Stokes' final kill assisted by Savanna FauntLeRoy.
 
The second set began with the Sailfish taking an early lead, courtesy of an attack error by Taylor-Reese Howell. Shorter responded with a scoring run, establishing a 4-1 advantage. However, a comeback was sparked by Kelsey Rogers, who scored key points, including a block that narrowed the deficit to 4-3. Stokes and Board contributed with consecutive kills, allowing PBA to level the score at 11. Later, Savanna Rogers' aces and Sydney Corbett's kills during a critical stretch helped PBA surge to a 21-16 lead. In a tense finale, Reynolds secured the set with a decisive kill, sealing a 25-23 victory for the visitors.
 
Palm Beach Atlantic secured a decisive 25-19 victory in the third set, highlighted by an impressive streak of six consecutive points starting at 18-14, with Smith and Stokes delivering key kills. Reynolds played a pivotal role, providing multiple assists throughout the set, including a set to Smith at 14-11 that maintained momentum. Despite SU's attempts to rally, the 'Fish's performance was bolstered by a balanced offensive effort, ultimately closing the set with two consecutive attack errors from the Hawks.
 
Match Two – PBA: 3, AU: 1
 
In the second match of the day, the 'Fish defeated Anderson in four sets, 26-24, 27-25, 22-25, 25-23, on Saturday at The Complex. The 'Fish capitalized on their blocking advantage, recording 14 total blocks compared to the Trojans' 10, helping secure the victory. The match featured a tightly contested second set, with PBA narrowly edging out Anderson 27-25.
 
Rogers led the Sailfish with 12 kills on 29 attempts and contributed significantly on defense with eight total blocks. Reynolds orchestrated the offense with 39 assists while adding seven kills and 14 digs. Smith was the top scorer, finishing with 18.5 points, highlighted by 16 kills and four total blocks. Patterson anchored the defense, collecting 26 digs over four games.
 
PBA opened the first set with a commanding 6-0 run, highlighted by two kills and a service ace from Reynolds, setting the tone early. Despite AU's rally to tie the set at 19 with contributions from Mikaylah Hedlund and Ava Reeves, the 'Fish regained momentum with kills from Reynolds and Sofia Augusto. The set concluded with a dramatic finish as Rogers secured the final point with a decisive kill, leading to a 26-24 victory for the Sailfish.
 
The second set featured a tightly contested battle with the 'Fish prevailing 27-25 against the Trojans. The set started with Anderson taking an early lead, but the Sailfish responded with resilience, highlighted by Smith's critical kills and Reynolds' pivotal assists. In a nail-biting finish, a final kill by Smith, assisted by Lexi Berry, secured the set for the Sailfish.
 
The 'Fish found themselves trailing early in the third set as AU capitalized on attack errors to take a 4-0 lead. However, the 'Fish quickly rallied with Rogers and Reynolds leading the charge, bringing the score back to a tense 8-8 tie. Despite a strong effort, including key kills from Smith and Berry, the Trojans managed a late surge to narrowly secure the set 25-22.
 
The Sailfish edged the Trojans in a tightly contested fourth set, with Rogers starting strong by contributing decisive kills early on, establishing an initial lead. A mid-set surge saw Patterson's service ace and a series of offensive errors by Anderson allowing the Sailfish to extend their advantage to 18-11. Despite a late rally from Anderson that tied the score at 21, Board's timely kills, set up by Reynolds, proved pivotal, culminating in the Sailfish sealing the set 25-23 following a service error by Anderson.