Match #24
ART U Urban Knights (6-17, 5-10 PacWest) vs. Jessup Warriors (11-9, 7-6 PacWest)
Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024 at 7 p.m.
Rocklin, Calif. – Warrior Arena
Live Stats | Live Video

Match #25
ART U Urban Knights (6-17, 5-10 PacWest) vs. Dominican Penguins (3-16, 2-11 PacWest)
Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024 at 6:30 p.m.
San Francisco – Kezar Pavilion
Live Stats | Live Video

Match #26
ART U Urban Knights (6-17, 5-10 PacWest) vs. Fresno Pacific Sunbirds (15-10, 10-7 PacWest)
Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024 at 2 p.m.
Fresno, Calif. – Special Events Center
Live Stats | Live Video

SIX SENIORS TO BE HONORED AMID REMATCHES WITH JESSUP, FRESNO PACIFIC
With just over two weeks left in the season, Academy of Art volleyball takes on Jessup this weekend before recognizing the collection of senior setter Elly McInerney, senior setter Lina Ellilä, senior setter/defensive specialist Nina Garcia, senior right side Sofia Stemberga, graduate student opposite Claire Ricard, graduate student middle blocker Chandra Reed for Senior Night then taking Pacific West Conference action to Fresno Pacific all next week.

FIRST SERVE
The Urban Knights' lone match of this week takes place inside Jessup's Warrior Arena at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9. Home in Kezar Pavilion for the final time in 2024, ART U then hosts Dominican on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 6:30 p.m. with a special senior ceremony taking place prior to first serve. The week concludes inside Fresno Pacific's Special Events Center on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 2 p.m. Remember to follow @ARTU_Knights via the athletics app (Apple App Store, Google Play Store) and on Twitter & Instagram, as well as "Like" the Urban Knights on Facebook for score updates, videos, and recaps.

KNIGHT WATCH
Four members of Academy of Art are currently averaging more than 2.10 kills per set as freshman outside hitter Kerrigan Habing (2.40), sophomore middle blocker/outside hitter Alohi Garcia (2.31), junior right side/middle blocker Katherine Von Kraut, and Ricard (2.13) exemplify the Knights' versatility on offense. McInerney can not only be found at sixth in the PacWest in assists per set (7.18), but fourth in ART U history at 1,871 career assists as she continues to close in on the 2,000-assist milestone. Totaling double-digit digs in 20 of her 23 matches played thus far, sophomore libero LC-Reece Nakagawa holds the seventh spot in the conference digs per set leaders at 3.95 while adding the eighth-most service aces per set in the PacWest (0.38). Graduate student middle blocker/outside hitter Fina Tuinauvai leads the squad in blocks per set (0.75) with Reed's recent 10-block surge over her last two matches elevating her to a close second at 0.71 blocks per set. The tandem share the team's top spot in terms of solo blocks (10).

ROUND THREE WITH THE WARRIORS
One of two teams Academy of Art will face for the third time this season in the coming week, Jessup has won three of four matches (topping Fresno Pacific, UH Hilo, and Hawaii Pacific while falling to Chaminade) since defeating ART U back on Oct. 24. Madalyn Miller is the Warriors' top offensive threat at 3.18 kills per set (fifth in PacWest) while Neena Dimas (4.08) is one of just six in the conference to average over 4.00 digs per set. Gaining their first two victories in the all-time series this season, Jessup remains back of the Knights 4-2 historically.

DOMINICAN DEBRIEF
Among the 10 consecutive losses Dominican has sustained following its Sept. 26 victory over ART U have been four straight on the road to bridge October and November. The Penguins will host FPU on Nov. 8 before their penultimate road contest next week at Academy of Art. Dominican ranks fourth in the PacWest at 15.55 digs per set with Rein Bocage checking in at second individually (4.76), supporting an offense guided by Reagan Macha and her 3.36 kills per set (fourth in PacWest). The win against the Knights earlier this year was the Penguins' first since 2021 and kept the historical matchup extremely close as ART U holds the 18-17 edge.

FINDING FRESNO ONCE AGAIN
Fresno Pacific, the other team Academy of Art will face for a third time this season, has gone 4-2 since topping ART U on Oct. 22, falling to Jessup but capturing two of three in Hawaii. The Sunbirds and Penguins will meet on Nov. 8 ahead of FPU's last regular season home contest of the year versus the Knights. For a Fresno Pacific squad that appears fourth in the PacWest in both hitting percentage (.210) and blocks per set (1.98), Makayla Smith's 3.09 kills per set and Mia Gilcrest's 3.06 kills per set are both among the conference's top eight while Madison Girnius adds the fifth-highest hitting clip (.346) and seventh-most blocks per set (0.95). Recent success for the Sunbirds has them in front of Academy of Art 23-3 in the series.

WARRIORS COMPLETE COMEBACK IN 3-2 THRILLER VERSUS ART U
Exploding out of the gate with fiery offense, Academy of Art volleyball held a 2-1 lead in sets on Westmont, but the Warriors managed to rally back on their home floor of Murchison Gymnasium to win 3-2 (25-22, 19-25, 19-25, 25-17, 15-8) in Pacific West Conference action on Nov. 2.

LOOKING AHEAD
Ending the regular season on the road, ART U travels to Southern California once again to face Azusa Pacific (Nov. 22) for the first time and rematch Vanguard (Nov. 23).