WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The Palm Beach Atlantic (14-15, 7-11 SSC) volleyball team lost to Embry-Riddle (18-9, 11-7 SSC), 3-2 on Tuesday at Rubin Arena, with set scores of 25-18, 25-21, 20-25, 18-25 and 10-15.
The Sailfish won the first two sets before Embry-Riddle took the final three. The 'Fish finished with 56 kills and 70 digs but hit .149, while the Eagles hit .173 and totaled 14 blocks.
Leah Burlison finished with 19 kills, two service aces and 21.0 points.
Juliana Imbuzeiro recorded 44 assists and a season-high 14 digs, adding four kills and two blocks.
Sofia Augusto collected 29 digs and six assists, while
Kelsey Rogers added 11 kills and four blocks.
"Sofia was a great defender for us tonight," PBA head coach Jeff Huebner said. "She handled her defensive assignment really well for us tonight while Leah carried the load for us offensively. Two more in the Rubin this week!"
The Sailfish recovered from a 16-14 deficit in the first set by winning seven of the next eight rallies, moving ahead 21-17 behind a
Kaelynn Sims block, kills from
Brighten Sedmack and Imbuzeiro, and Eagle errors. The 'Fish closed the set with kills from Sims and Burlison before an Embry-Riddle attack error finished a 25-18 win.
The Sailfish held off Embry-Riddle's late push in the second set, responding after the visitors got within 21-20 and finishing a 25-21 set win. Burlison put the 'Fish back up 22-20 with a kill from Imbuzeiro, then after Embry-Riddle made it 22-21, Sedmack and Burlison delivered the final three kills. Burlison scored three of the Sailfish's final four points, while Rogers supplied seven kills in the set.
The Sailfish could not overcome an early 9-2 deficit in the third set, though they pushed back late behind a Burlison kill, an Embry-Riddle attack error and a block by
Nae Jordan and Rogers to make it 21-17. Jordan added two late kills and Burlison served an ace, but the Eagles closed out the set 25-20.
The 'Fish built a 10-6 lead in the fourth set with six straight points, as
Lexi Berry served two aces, Burlison added a kill and Rogers and Imbuzeiro combined on a block. Embry-Riddle answered after the Sailfish led 12-9, moving in front 14-12 and later taking the set 25-18.
The Sailfish pushed back from an 8-3 deficit in the fifth set, getting within 9-7 behind kills from Sims and
Ava McIntyre. Burlison later added a kill to make it 12-10, but Embry-Riddle took the final three points to close the set 15-10.
Up next, the Sailfish volleyball team hosts Eckerd on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 6 p.m. at Rubin Arena.
