WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Barry University's volleyball team lost its first five-set match of the season Friday night to host Palm Beach Atlantic in the Pepsi Bash at the Beach tournament.
Barry's 25-19, 18-25, 25-23, 21-25, 15-7 loss to PBA was a case of swapping sets -- the pattern following an alternating lose one, win one format for the Buccaneers, who entered the tournament with a 3-0 mark in five-set matches this season.
Barry had a .296 attack percentage in the first set, putting away 10 of 27 attempts with only two errors, but were below .500 in sideout percentage. The Buccaneers (8-7) were 11 of 25 in sideout chances. The Sailfish (18-2) converted 11 of 19 sideout opportunities.
The Bucs bounced back with a 12-kill, .241 attack-rate performance in the second set, cashing in on 12 of 18 sideouts. PBA, meanwhile, was held to .079 hitting and 47 percent sideout percentages.
The Sailfish put away 16 balls in the third set, converting 14 of 23 sideouts. Barry hit .125, collecting 12 kills for the second of three consecutive sets, and recorded 14 of 24 sideouts.
Barry trailed 18-8 in the third set before reeling off nine of the next 11 points. Jeni Hiapo's ace pulled the Bucs within three, 20-17. A kill by Ashley Carrero and hitting error by the Sailfish allowed the Buccaneers to cut it to 24-23, but PBA secured the final point to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
Mima Hajdukovic served up an ace during a five-point Buccaneers' run to put Barry ahead, 14-9, in the fourth set. Hajdukovic put down one of her customary fake-set kills to inch the Bucs closer to termination time at 19-15. Tania Torres' kill extended Barry's lead to 23-16, and Carrero followed with a kill on a setup from Hiapo to bring the Bucs within a point of evening the match. Palm Beach Atlantic rattled off five consecutive points to cut the gap to 24-21 before a Sailfish hitting error tied the match at two sets apiece.
Palm Beach Atlantic wasted little time racing out to an 8-2 lead in the fifth set. Barry drew within 10-6 on a PBA error, but the Sailfish secured five of the last six points to claim the first of two meetings between the two schools this year.
Barry will host Palm Beach Atlantic in a non-conference match Nov. 9 at Health & Sports Center in Miami Shores.
Carrero had 14 kills, 18 digs and two blocks. Torres had 12 kills, hit .276 and had 10 digs and two blocks. Hajdukovic had 41 assists, four aces, eight digs and five kills. Laine Cielena had five kills and three blocks, including a solo.
Barry, which will play Bentley at 10 a.m. and Claflin at noon Saturday to conclude the PBA tournament, had six blocks. PBA was credited with nine.