SAN FRANCISCO – Academy of Art University volleyball arrived home to Kezar Pavilion in a big way Thursday, sweeping Holy Names 3-0 for its first Pacific West Conference victory of the season. The Urban Knights showed their variety of talents on offense, having three players register double-digit kills led by freshman outside hitter Stine Raben's season-high 18 spikes.

The road to victory was not an easy one. In the first set, no team gained more than a three-point lead until ART U opened up a 10-1 run midway through. A kill by junior outside hitter Melissa Brum started it off with the Knights down 13-12 and three other teammates added putaways including a pair from sophomore outside hitter Bailey Soolsma at the end to put the home team up 21-14. Despite a quick 4-1 Hawks run, Academy of Art finished things off 25-19 with another kill from Brum.

Set two had a similar feel as neither side was able to establish an advantage until a pair of runs (3-0 and 4-0) by the Knights put them ahead 17-13. As ART U began to move toward finishing the frame, Holy Names got two critical points to force a 23-23 tie and, facing set point shortly thereafter, relied on a kill by Katelyn Johns to stave off elimination. Sophomore middle blocker Amorelle Applin helped Academy of Art do the same down 25-24, but two set points later, it was the Knights who won 28-26 on an emphatic solo block by sophomore middle blocker Margaret Winkler.

Senior setter Rachael Smith set Raben for three consecutive kills during an ART U run to gain a 10-7 lead in the third set. The Knights worked hard to fend off a Hawks hungry for their first PacWest victory as well and key putaways by Applin down the stretch kept the visitors at bay. Holy Names would come as close as 23-22 before Academy of Art finished the set (25-22) and the match (3-0) with a Brum kill and HNU attack error.

The Urban Knights rise to 5-8 overall and 1-4 in conference play with the victory. Raben had a match-high 18 kills which also served as her highest total of the season. However, it was Brum and Soolsma who added depth to the ART U offense, finishing with 13 and 10 kills respectively. Smith posted 44 assists while junior libero Kabrina Speakman offered a match-high 19 digs and freshman defensive specialist added 14 digs.

Holy Names, now 1-11 overall and 0-4 in the PacWest, had three players register double-digit digs, but Kaylyn Lackey's nine kills were the highest on the night.

Academy of Art now looks ahead to Saturday for its next contest, a rematch with Notre Dame de Namur set to begin at 3 p.m. The match will feature the #AAUHallCup2015 finale - Battle of the Halls! Sign up for the fan bus at Fan Bus Central!