Box Score

San Diego, CA -- The Academy of Art University women's volleyball team had a good showing against Point Loma Nazarene University, but the Knights couldn't stave off a late charge by the Sea Lions as they lost a long battle with a 3-2 loss. The Urban Knights won the first two sets 25-20 and 26-24, but PLNU came back for the last three by scores of 25-20, 25-19, and 15-10.

The Urban Knights started off the night by sprinting out of the gate to a 13-5 lead in the first set following a combination block from Holli "Ka'ena" Kaina and Lindsay Elgin, who then each followed with a kill to extend the lead. The Sea Lions narrowed the gap, but the Urban Knights used key kills by Brittany Ulmer and Caitlin Boring to win the opening set.

ART U kept that momentum in the second set, continuing to trade points with the Sea Lions throughout the set. There were a total of nine ties in the second game, the last one at 22-22, but the Urban Knights got another big kill from Elgin, an ace from Taylor Suchy, and then forced an error on PLNU to take a 2-0 lead.

Point Loma nabbed the third set from the Knights, fighting off a furious comeback from an ART U squad that went from down 22-13 to pulling within four at 23-19, but the Sea Lions held on to make it 2-1. The fourth set was like the second, a close one that was tied at 18-18, but PLNU went on a late run to take it 25-19. The Knights struck first in the deciding set, but couldn't come back after a four-point run by Point Loma to drop the match.

Kaina led the Urban Knights with 13 kills, with Elgin right behind her with 10 kills and eight blocks. Janelle Burnett had 16 digs for ART U, and setter Rachael Smith had 37 assists. PLNU's Kelli LeClair led all players with 22 kills, while Heather Leavitt added a double-double (15 kills, 15 digs) for the home team.

The Urban Knights are off on Thursday, and will restart play on Friday against Azusa Pacific, followed by the conclusion of the road trip against California Baptist University on Saturday.