Rollins Can't Reel in Sailfish to Open SSC Play

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (November 20, 2021) – The Tars dropped their Sunshine State Conference opener on the road, against the Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish, 65-55.  Rollins falls to 2-2 overall, and 0-1 in conference action.  Palm Beach Atlantic improves to 1-3, and 1-0 against conference opposition.
 
Niya Pluvoise led the Tars off the bench, scoring 13 points on 4-7 shooting.  The senior also pulled down four boards and rejected one shot.  Asia Newsome led the Tars with eight rebounds, as the Rollins out rebounded the Sailfish 43-41.  Turnovers doomed the Tars, as Rollins coughed the ball up 24 times, which led to 30 Sailfish points.
 
Palm Beach Atlantic had three scorers in double digits, led by 19 from Kash Ayuso.  Maria Benitez-Zayas filled the stat sheet with nine points, a game-high five assists, and a team best six rebounds.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
First Quarter

• The Tars started slow, shooting just 2-8 from the field and 1-4 from the free throw line.
• Silva Lasarte Garcia got Rollins on the board with a jumper in the paint at the 8:16 mark, before the Tars pulled within one, at 6-5, at the five and a half minute mark, with a Lucy Leen three pointer.
• From that point on the Sailfish caught fire, and the Tars could not find the bottom of the net.  The Tars were scoreless for over five minutes, before Niya Pluvoise hit a free throw with eight seconds remaining, making the score 22-6 after one.

Second Quarter

• The Tars and Sailfish largely traded points in the second quarter.  Kymora Westerfield and Lasarte registered back to back buckets at the seven minute mark, cutting the lead to 14 points.
• The Sailfish ballooned the lead back to 23 with two minutes remaining, but a Pluvoise three and a Grace Alfieri basket brought the lead back to 18 points.
• Palm Beach Atlantic scored once more in the period, but a pair of Caroline Swartz free throws again shrunk the deficit into the teens before the break.;

Third Quarter

• Rollins came out firing after the half, outscoring the Sailfish 22-13 in the third quarter.
• Yoke Tassent hit a three pointer with 7:14 on the clock to shrink the PBA lead back to 14.
• A jump shot from Westefield and a pair of Pluvoise free throws brought the deficit down to ten, but that was as close as Rollins could get in the quarter, as the teams traded baskets for the final four minutes.
• Pluvoise hit a layup as time expired to send the teams to the final stanza with score 55-45.

Fourth Quarter

• The Sailfish scored the first seven points of the quarter, as the Tars were held off the board for the first 4:51 of the quarter, dampening hopes of a comeback.
• An Asia Newsome jumper at the 2:43 mark cut the lead to eight, 63-55, but that was as close as Rollins would get.  The Tars did not score in the closing moments, as the Sailfish closed out the contest.

UP NEXT:
Rollins will return to action following Thanksgiving, as they host the Rollins Classic on Friday, November 26 and Saturday, November 27.  The Tars will open the event against Grand Valley State.
 
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