OAKLAND, Calif. – Friday night's Pacific West Conference rematch between Academy of Art volleyball and Holy Names was an incredible back-and-forth battle, but despite amassing season-highs of 100 digs and 14 total blocks (both top eight in program history) and being tied 12-12 in the final set, the Urban Knights ended up falling to the Hawks 3-2 (25-16, 20-25, 25-22, 18-25, 15-12) inside Tobin Gymnasium.

The rollercoaster evening began with HNU using a 7-0 run to go up 10-3 then outlast a late 7-3 comeback attempt by ART U that featured kills from redshirt senior opposite Kiersten Kerch and senior middle blocker/opposite Sadie Emery. In the end, it was a 25-16 result for the Hawks.

Rallying against a 9-6 deficit, Academy of Art rattled off six straight including two service aces from junior setter Picabo Reinhold. Then, a 13-13 deadlock was broken by a 4-0 push which held up the rest of the way, ending on a block by freshman middle blocker Janaya Delone and Kerch for 25-20 win. Back-to-back kills from Kerch came during a 5-2 finish to the frame which saw Kerch and Emery combine for 13 kills with no errors heading to the third.

After starting said set ahead 5-2 with a pair of Delone kills, ART U found itself on top 11-6 with freshman outside hitter Katherine Von Kraut putting down a kill. HNU proceeded to work its way back to a 15-15 tie and took multiple small leads thereafter. Unfortunately, the Knights came no closer than two points after a 20-18 Hawks advantage on the way to the 25-22 end score.

Neither team led by more than two points throughout the fourth set until ART U made its move trailing 17-16. Emery, who had an impressive streak of 21 straight kills without an error ended earlier in the frame, sparked what became a 6-0 comeback with a kill then Delone and Von Kraut worked in tandem both offensively and defensively to make it 22-17. Three straight scores ended the frame with Academy of Art on top 25-18 as the fifth set now loomed.

The Hawks appeared to be well on their way to a win after beginning with a 6-2 lead, but a service ace from senior defensive specialist Catharina Brant Bambirra was followed by kills from Emery and Von Kraut to tie things up at 7-7. A quick run from the home team had them up 10-8 then 12-10 though another tie ensued after two consecutive combined blocks from Kerch and Delone then redshirt junior outside hitter Celena Davison and Emery. In the end, a kill, service ace, and block unfortunately ended the night with HNU 15-12 victors.

Academy of Art, now 8-19 overall and 5-14 in PacWest matchups, was led by three Urban Knights with double-digit kills. Emery hit .500 finishing with a season-high 14 kills to just one error plus five blocks while Von Kraut added 13 kills and three blocks. Kerch delivered a career-high 12 kills, her second straight match in double figures, as well as three blocks. Delone's career-high nine total blocks, which came with eight kills, tied current teammate Jillian Wheaton for the second-most by a freshman in ART U history.

Freshman libero Elena Torres' match-high 27 digs led five ART U competitors with double-digit digs including Davison's career-high 19 digs. Reinhold had her 10th double-double of the year with 48 assists and 14 digs while Brant Bambirra added a season-high 16 digs and junior outside hitter Isaura Santos had 12.

Now sharing 8-19 overall and 5-14 PacWest records with Academy of Art, Holy Names got a match-high 17 kills from Saupuni Mavaega as well as a 16-kill, 17-dig double-double from Lauren Sera.

The Urban Knights will complete their 2021 fall campaign tomorrow with a 2 p.m. rematch against Dominican in San Rafael.