TAMPA, Fla. — The Sailfish of Palm Beach Atlantic (5-4) clinched a hard-fought 11-9 victory over the University of Montevallo (4-6) at Naimoli Stadium on Sunday. A commanding third quarter, where PBA outscored Montevallo 4-1, was pivotal in sealing the win. The 'Fish were relentless, firing a season-high 54 shots and executing a remarkable 25 clears, both bests for the season.

Noah Zimmerman spearheaded the 'Fish attack with three goals, converting seven of his nine shots on target. Colin Delo dominated the faceoff circle, winning 12 of 20, pushing the team's faceoff wins to a season-best 15. Giovanni Lubrano not only scored the game-winner but also added an assist. Zion Lee and Patrick Law each netted two goals, both showcasing their knack for unassisted scores. Notably, Lee hit a season-high with his two goals, while Law has consistently scored at least two goals in the last two games.

The game kicked off with the 'Fish seizing early momentum. Tyler Degirolamo won the faceoff, setting the stage for Patrick Law to score the first goal. This early lead was bolstered by solid defensive play and impressive groundball recoveries, as PBA collected 45 ground balls, surpassing their average of 32.14 and keeping Montevallo on the back foot.

Midway through the first, Gabe Eckhart stretched PBA's lead with a goal assisted by Braylon Baker. Montevallo, however, answered with two goals, tying the game as the first quarter wrapped up at 2-2, setting the tone for a fierce contest.

The second quarter saw Degirolamo winning the faceoff again, though early offensive efforts were stymied by Montevallo's defense, including a critical save by Alex Egorshin. Despite a penalty on Donovan O'Toole, Montevallo capitalized with a man-up goal. Zimmerman responded for the 'Fish, scoring twice—one unassisted and another with help from Cooper Porter—briefly giving PBA a 3-2 edge.

Montevallo hit back with an Aidan Collery goal to level it at 4-4. A subsequent score from Samuel Martin put Montevallo ahead 5-4. As the quarter came to a close, Cameron Diehl struck again for Montevallo, extending their lead to 6-4, while the 'Fish's efforts were thwarted by defensive stops.

The third quarter was all about the 'Fish. Lee struck just 32 seconds in, with Delo's faceoff win fueling the offensive push. Law's goal at 13:27 put PBA ahead 7-6. Baker furthered the lead to 8-6, assisted by Lubrano. Though Diehl narrowed the gap for Montevallo, William Sloyan responded, restoring a two-goal cushion at 6:35 with his season-high performance.

PBA's defense held strong, limiting Montevallo's chances and ending the quarter with a 9-7 advantage, setting the stage for a decisive final quarter.

In the fourth, the 'Fish started strong with O'Toole securing the ground ball off a faceoff win. Despite some early turnovers, Jack Bryant's crucial saves kept Montevallo at bay. Zimmerman added a goal at 10:12, extending PBA's lead.

Montevallo quickly countered with a Michael Howkins goal at 9:07, but the Sailfish regained control with Lubrano's score, assisted by Sloyan, at 6:30. Lee added another at 5:21, pushing PBA ahead decisively.

As the clock wound down, the 'Fish held firm, with Bryant continually denying Montevallo's advances, securing an 11-9 victory at the final whistle.

The 'Fish are back in action at the RAC on Saturday as they open SSC action against St. Leo.