WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Palm Beach Atlantic lost to UIndy 3-2 on Friday at Rubin Arena. The Sailfish won the first two sets 25-23 and 25-13 before dropping the final three 19-25, 23-25 and 11-15. The 'Fish finished with 59 kills, 80 digs and eight service aces, while UIndy totaled 62 kills and 84 digs.
"Incredibly fun match tonight with Sydney continuing to be great," PBA head coach Jeff Huebner said. "Katie ran a really tough offense tonight as well played very well on both sides of the ball with a double double. The highlight of the experience was the way the Fish Tank rallied around our program. It was an incredible environment and atmosphere and we are so excited to welcome everybody back tomorrow."
Sydney Corbett finished with 21 kills, 12 digs and 21.5 points while hitting .362. Corbett's 12 digs recorded in this match were the highest digs total of her season.
Katie Silcott recorded 47 assists, setting a new season high, along with 13 digs and two service aces. Silcott also achieved a season high of 13 digs.
Sofia Augusto collected 27 digs, marking a season-high total for her, and added three assists.
Ava McIntyre posted 12 kills, 12 digs and one service ace. McIntyre achieved at least 12 kills in two consecutive games.
Leah Burlison recorded a season-high 10 kills.
Corbett helped establish the 'Fish attack with four kills among the team's first 10 points, while
Kaelynn Sims added both a kill and a service ace in the early portion of the set. The Sailfish answered UIndy's 13-12 lead by scoring five of the next six points, using kills from McIntyre, Burlison and Corbett to move ahead 17-14. UIndy pulled the set back even at 20-20 and again at 22-22, but the Sailfish responded each time, including a
Lexi Berry service ace for a 22-20 edge. McIntyre delivered a kill to put the 'Fish at set point, then served an ace to finish the first set 25-23.
The 'Fish built an 11-5 edge in the second set behind repeated production from Corbett, McIntyre, Sims,
Erin Guffin and Burlison before UIndy answered with four straight points. The Sailfish broke open the second set with a 9-0 run from an 11-9 lead to a 20-9 advantage, with Silcott serving throughout the stretch and contributing a kill, two aces and multiple assists. Silcott stopped that response with a kill from
Bergen Waitman, and the Sailfish followed with kills from Corbett, Guffin and McIntyre during the extended surge. Corbett finished with seven kills in the set, while Sims closed it with a kill from Silcott to give the 'Fish a 25-13 win.
The Sailfish were forced to chase the third set after UIndy broke a 5-5 tie with four straight points and later built a 17-10 lead.
Lauren Venenga added a service ace as the Sailfish pulled to 9-7, and
Juliana Imbuzeiro and
Nae Jordan recorded kills during another response that brought the set to 13-10. UIndy pushed back ahead 19-11, but the 'Fish kept adding points through Guffin, Burlison and late UIndy errors before Maddie Lynch's kill ended the set at 25-19 for UIndy.
The Sailfish pushed the fourth set to the final rallies before UIndy took it 25-23, with Burlison's kill off Silcott's assist bringing the 'Fish within 24-23 before UIndy scored the last point on a block. Earlier, the Sailfish answered an 8-6 deficit with four straight points, using a UIndy service error, a Sims ace, a Corbett kill from Silcott and a Maddie Lynch attack error to move ahead 10-8. The set stayed tight through the middle, as Burlison delivered back-to-back kills to put the 'Fish up 15-14 and Corbett added kills for 17-15 and 19-18 advantages. After McIntyre tied it at 20-20, UIndy scored three straight points to go in front 23-20, and the Sailfish responded with two of the next three before falling by two.
The 'Fish overcame the opening point of the fifth set with a block from Guffin and Corbett, a McIntyre kill from Augusto and another UIndy error to move ahead 3-1. The set stayed tight through 6-6 before UIndy went in front 8-6, and the Sailfish continued to respond with kills from Corbett and Guffin to stay within reach. Corbett added another kill to make it 11-9, and Burlison's late finish helped the 'Fish get back to a one-point margin before UIndy closed out the 15-11 result.
Up next, the Sailfish volleyball team hosts Fort Valley State on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 10 a.m. before taking on Trevecca Nazarene at 4 p.m.
