ST. PAUL, Minn. (Sept. 5) – The Central Washington University volleyball team lost its final game of the Holiday Inn Volleyball Clash to 15^th ranked Palm Beach Atlantic 3-1 (13-25, 25-21, 21-25, 20-25) Saturday morning in St. Paul, Minn.
 
The Wildcats fall to 0-3 for the first time since the 2007 season, while Palm Beach Atlantic improves to 2-1 on the season. 
 
Central Washington jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first set of a kill and service ace by Kaitlin Quirk.  The lead was short lived as the Sailfish scored four unanswered points and never trailed again for the rest of the set.  The Wildcats were within two after a kill by Catie Fry, but PBA rattled off seven straight points to take a commanding 21-11 lead en route to the 25-13 set victory.
 
The Wildcats led from start to finish in set two, with Kiah Jones getting things started with a kill followed by a block by Sabrina Wheelhouse and Madison Weg.  Central Washington used a six-point run to open an 8-1 lead.  Palm Beach Atlantic rallied to take a 20-19 lead, but the Wildcats finished off the Sailfish after Linden Firethorne touched floor on a pair of kills to give the Wildcats the 25-21 set win.
 
The third set was a see-saw affair for the majority of the frame, with CWU holding a one-point lead at 19-18, but the Sailfish ended the set on a  7-2 run to take a 2-1 lead in the contest.
 
Palm Beach Atlantic scored the first six points of the fourth set, and the Wildcats were unable to overcome the early deficit.  Central Washington got to within three (15-18), off a kill by Jones and a pair of kills by Quirk, but couldn't get any closer losing the set 20-25 and the match 3-1.
 
Firethorne led the Wildcats with 13 kills while Jones and Quirk each had 11.  Quirk also totaled five blocks in the match.
 
The Sailfish outhit the Wildcats .214 to .142 and had nine services aces to the Wildcats two.
 
Up next the Wildcats return home to play host to the GNAC/PacWest Crossover starting on Sept. 10.