MELBOURNE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern University Sharks volleyball lost to the host Florida Tech Panthers on Saturday by a score of 3-1. The loss drops NSU to 11-17 overall and 3-10 in Sunshine State Conference play, while Florida Tech improves to 7-20 overall and picked up their first win of the season against fellow league members.
 
Denvyr Tyler-Palmer and Katie Pyles each recorded double-doubles in defeat, while sharing the team-high of 14 digs, as Tyler-Palmer tallied 17 kills and Pyles had 27 assists.
 
The Sharks scored the first three points of the first set, but the Panthers quickly evened the score. The teams were tied five times in the set, the first at 5-all and the last at 13-all, after which the Panthers led the rest of the way, scoring five of the next six points, en route to a 25-19 victory.

Set two featured the Sharks playing catch up most of the way, with the Panthers taking their largest lead at 10-5. The Sharks responded with four in a row, but weren't able to tie the set until a Tyler-Palmer service ace knotted it up at 16 for the third straight NSU point. The two teams traded 3-0 runs, until an attack error brought it back to a 20-20 tie, for the start of a 6-1 Sharks run to win the set, 25-21.
 
The third set also started close, with seven ties before either team reached nine points, but the Panthers reeled off seven straight, and kept the Sharks at bay for the rest of the set, winning 25-18.

Set four maintained that intensity throughout, as the largest lead all set for either team was just two points. Again, they were tied 12 different times, and the Sharks were close to forcing a winner-take-all fifth set, leading 23-21, before the Panthers scored the last four points to secure victory in the match.

The Sharks will return home for the last three matches of the 2016 season, starting on Tuesday, when they hope to avenge their defeat to Florida Tech at 7:00 p.m. at the NSU Arena. For compete coverage, head to NSUSharks.com.