WINTER PARK, Fla. — The Palm Beach Atlantic volleyball team (13-11, 6-7 Sunshine State Conference) defeated Rollins (10-15, 3-11 SSC) 3-1 on Tuesday, taking the match 25-18, 21-25, 25-21, 25-22.
The Sailfish hit .295 for the match while holding the Tars to .181 and finished with a 12-to-8 edge in total blocks. In the fourth set, the 'Fish took the lead after trailing by three and closed the set 25-22 to finish the road win.
Kelsey Rogers led the Sailfish with 13 kills, hit .524 and added five blocks for 15.5 points. Rogers' 13 kills were a season high.
Kaelynn Sims posted 10 kills on .500 hitting and recorded a team-high seven blocks.
Sofia Augusto collected a team-best 16 digs and added four assists.
Jess Horn finished with 20 assists, 10 digs and one ace. Horn has recorded 20 or more set assists in five consecutive matches.
"All road wins are good in league play," PBA head coach Jeff Huebner said. "Both setters made awesome choices all night. I'm very proud of Kelsey who played an important role and her best match of the season for us tonight. Kaelynn continues to put points on the board and was an awesome blocker tonight. Can't wait to get back on the road for two more opportunities this weekend."
The Sailfish answered the Tars' 8-7 lead in the first set by scoring five of the next six points, moving in front 12-9 with help from a
Nae Jordan/Rogers block. The 'Fish kept creating separation at the net, with Sims involved in three blocks as the lead grew to 18-14. The Sailfish closed the set at 25-18 on a Rogers kill from
Juliana Imbuzeiro.
The Sailfish built an 8-4 lead with
Leah Burlison contributing two kills early in the second set. With
Bergen Waitman serving, the 'Fish made their final push, scoring four straight points after Rollins had set point at 24-17 to get back to 24-21. The Tars answered and closed it at 25-21.
The Sailfish created separation in the third set with three straight points on Waitman's serve, moving from 18-16 to 21-16 on a Rogers/
Sydney Corbett block, a Rogers kill from Horn and a Tars attack error. Rollins later trimmed the gap to 24-21, but Burlison finished the set with a kill from Imbuzeiro for a 25-21 Sailfish win.
The 'Fish answered a 9-6 fourth-set deficit with five straight points, getting a Sims kill before
Lexi Berry's serve produced four consecutive points and an 11-9 lead. The set stayed close late, but after the Tars closed to 23-22, a service error gave the Sailfish set point and Corbett served an ace to close a 25-22 set win.
Up next, the Sailfish travel to Tampa, Fla., to face No. 3-ranked Tampa on Friday, Oct. 30, at 7 p.m.
