MIAMI SHORES, Fla. (Volleyball) - On Saturday afternoon, a match-best 10 blocks and match-high three service aces fell short for Florida Tech (9-11, SSC 4-10), as the Panthers dropped a 3-1 battle against the Barry Buccaneers (9-9, SSC 5-8) at the Health & Sports Center.

As a team, the Crimson and Gray accumulated 45 kills and 42 assists, along with 71 digs and 58 points. 

Offensively, junior Kelly Germain notched a team-best 11 kills to go with nine digs and one block assist. Following closely behind, fellow Panthers Tania Kottke and Olivia Hersey tallied 9 kills apiece, while freshman Audrey Keenan recorded a team-high .207 clip on eight kills.

Setter Kiersten Rosa reached the 10 mark in seasonal double-doubles, as she combined 37 assists with 12 digs. Middle blocker Samantha Reeves left the hardwood earning a match-best six blocks, five of which were assisted.

Opening the first frame, the Panthers set the pace after locking a two-point run to pass Barry 3-1. However, the home lineup quickly responded back and turned the game around to overlap FIT 13-5. Florida Tech struggled to breach through the Buccaneers defense, and eventually missed the first stanza, 25-17.

After trading eight lead changes early in the second set, a block assist by Kottke and Reeves ceased the Buccaneers attack and put the Panthers ahead 11-10. Barry promptly erased the gap, and moved past FIT, 13-12. Fighting from the back, a kill by Hersey and three Buccaneers errors allotted the Crimson and Gray with a 17-13 edge. However, the FIT lead did not last long, as the teams recorded six more ties to bring the score tied at 27. A block assist by the duo Rosa Hersey combined with a consecutive kill by Germain, gave Florida Tech two back-to-back points to capture the second set, 29-27.

Returning from intermission, the Crimson and Gray struck first and took a three-point streak to begin the third set. The Buccaneers rallied back, and eventually regained the lead to bring the score to 15-13. Although an additional five kills and one block assist, the Panthers could not complete the momentum and eventually dropped the third, 25-21.

Trailing by two, Florida Tech jumped out to a 9-5 lead in the beginning of the fourth, but the Miami Shores team fought back once again to turn the game around and move past FIT 20-14. Following, Florida Tech put up two blocks that decreased the deficiency by three, but the Buccaneers maintained control of the play and eventually downed FIT, 25-20.

The Panthers will now return home and host No. 3 Palm Beach Atlantic on Tuesday, Oct. 31 at 7 p.m. ET. During the match, FIT will host a Halloween Costume Night Contest at intermission. The best costume will be awarded with $100 cash price.

For more info, please visit FloridaTechSports.com.