TURLOCK, Calif. – Despite improving upon each of its set scores, Academy of Art volleyball could not rally late to overtake Stanislaus State as the Urban Knights fell 3-0 (25-11, 25-18, 25-20) in their final non-conference match of the season on Tuesday evening inside Ed & Bertha Fitzpatrick Arena.

Though ART U captured the first two points of the opening set on kills by junior setter Elly McInerney and graduate student outside hitter Maya McClellan, the Warriors responded with a 13-1 run. The margin was shortened to 18-9 when senior middle blocker Jillian Wheaton and McClellan each had a pair of kills in a 4-1 burst, however, Stan State walked away with the 25-11 final.

After three consecutive kills by graduate student outside hitter Amalie Rupertova, Wheaton, and McClellan knotted set two at 5-5, the frame shifted in the Warriors' favor with their 4-0 push. Academy of Art repeatedly came within two points thereafter, but a 7-1 run by Stan State helped the home team maintain its advantage toward a 25-18 result to move ahead 2-0.

The Urban Knights answered the Warriors' 4-1 lead to begin the third set with four straight points capped by a Wheaton kill before the action continued to go back and forth. From 5-5 to 17-17, the teams worked their way through 10 ties and while McClellan sent down two more kills in the minutes that followed, an 8-3 run enabled Stan State to secure the 25-20 victory and the match.

Leading ART U, now 1-8 through non-conference play, was McClellan who amassed 11 kills while Wheaton contributed six kills of her own with just one error for a .455 hitting percentage. McInerney finished with 16 assists and nine digs, Rupertova matched her teammate with nine digs as well, and senior libero Isaura Santos totaled a team-high 11 digs.

With the day's result powered by Penelope Zepeda's 12 kills, Stanislaus State moves to 7-1 on the season.

Pacific West Conference play is next for the Urban Knights who open up at home against Point Loma this Friday, Sept. 9 at 6:30 p.m. inside Walter Gleason Gym in Belmont.