Palm Beach beats Pensacola in 5 sets, advances to Final

Palm Beach State College is heading to the Gulf District Championship Game!

The Panthers battled the Pirates of Pensacola State College in a semi-final featuring two teams 10+ game win streaks.  The Panthers entered as winners of 10 in a row, while the Pirates were undefeated in their last 14.  This match-up played out the way that everyone thought it would.

The 1st set set the tone for the whole match-up.  The Panthers raced out to a quick 4-0 lead.  The Pirates scored 8 of the next 10 points and took a 8-6 lead over the Panthers.  The back and forth continued as the Pirates took a 14-10 lead over the Panthers, leading the Panthers to call a timeout.  That was a timeout well needed.  The Panthers go on their own 10-4 run and took a 20-18 lead that they kept in winning the 1st set 25-22.

The 2nd set was just like the 1st.  Pensacola jumps out to their own 6-3 lead, with the Panthers responding with a 6-3 run of their own to tie it at 9 each. The teams traded 2 point leads with the Panthers going up 12-10, then the Pirates leading 14-12, the Panthers got back on top with a 19-17 lead.  The Panthers were unaTheble to hold off the Pirates however, as they go on a 8-3 run and win the 2nd set 25-22 and tie it at 1 set a piece.

Set number 3 belonged to the Panthers.  A quick 6-1 lead for the Panthers caused the Pirates to take a timeout.  Palm Beach was able to keep the momentum as they led 14-7 when the Pirates called their 2nd timeout of the set.  Palm Beach never looked back and won the 3rd set 21-14. 

The 4th set didn't have either team jumping out to a quick lead like the previous 3 sets.  A back and forth game lead the Panthers to take a timeout trailing 11-7.  The Panthers come back and make it 13-10, leading the Pirates to call a timeout.  The Panthers would cut the lead to 1 a couple of times but were unable to tie it up and drop the 4th set 25-20, bringing up a winner take all 5th set.

The Panthers and Pirates trade points, however the Panthers trailed 8-6 as they switch sides in the 5th set.  That was the changing point for the Panthers.  Palm Beach goes on a 7-3 run to win the 5th set 15-9.

With the victory, Palm Beach State advances to Saturday's Gulf District Championship Game at 1pm.  They will play the winner of Gulf Coast State College and St. John's River State College.