LAKELAND, Fla. — The Palm Beach Atlantic volleyball team (13-13, 6-9 Sunshine State Conference) lost to Florida Southern (14-9, 9-6 SSC) 3-1 on Saturday, with set scores of 14-25, 25-22, 20-25 and 20-25.
The Sailfish responded to the opening-set loss by taking the second set while hitting .256 in that frame, but PBA finished the match with a .290 hitting percentage. The Sailfish finished with 50 kills and seven aces, while FSC hit .290 and totaled 12 blocks.
Kaelynn Sims led the Sailfish with 11 kills while hitting .375 and added two blocks.
Juliana Imbuzeiro finished with 25 assists, two aces and three kills on six attacks.
Sofia Augusto collected a team-high 13 digs and added four assists.
Kelsey Rogers recorded nine kills on a .273 hitting percentage.
The Sailfish were put in a 10-0 hole to open the first set, with the Mocs scoring on three service aces and five Sailfish attack errors during that stretch.
Brighten Sedmack ended the start with a kill from
Jess Horn, and the 'Fish added late kills from
Simi Kapustova, Imbuzeiro and
Sydney Corbett, but FSC finished the set 25-14.
After trailing 14-10, the Sailfish won eight of the next nine points to move in front 18-15, with Sims involved in multiple points and Horn adding an ace. FSC later tied the set at 20-20, but the Sailfish answered with a Sims kill, an FSC attack error and a Sedmack kill to go up 23-20. Rogers finished the set with a kill as the Sailfish took it 25-22.
The Sailfish built an 8-4 lead with kills from Rogers,
Leah Burlison, Imbuzeiro and Sims, plus service aces by Imbuzeiro and Corbett in the third set. The 'Fish led 9-6 before FSC scored six straight points, turning the Sailfish's edge into a 12-9 deficit in the third set. The Sailfish got back within 13-12 but could not pull even, and the Mocs took the set 25-20.
In the fourth set, the 'Fish built a 17-12 advantage behind kills from Corbett, Burlison, Sims and Rogers before the Mocs worked back into the set. PBA was in position late, leading 20-18 after a Rogers kill, but FSC scored the final seven points to take the set 25-20.
Up next, the Sailfish host Nova Southeastern on Thursday, Nov. 5, at 6 p.m. at Rubin Arena.
