Fresno, Calif. – Saturday's conclusion to the Sunbird Volleyball Classic had Academy of Art volleyball sustain a pair of tough defeats at the hands of Stanislaus State 3-0 (25-18, 25-18, 25-23) and Jessup 3-0 (25-22, 25-21, 29-27) back inside Fresno Pacific's Special Events Center.

MATCH #1 – STAN 3, ART U 0
Four different Urban Knights posted kills as Academy of Art met the Warriors at 8-8 then came back against five straight points with graduate student middle blocker/outside hitter Fina Tuinauvai's kill starting a 5-1 response. Multiple kills by sophomore middle blocker/outside hitter Alohi Garcia helped ART U yet again cut the deficit to one point at 18-17, but a third push from Stanislaus State ended the frame in their favor 25-18.

An 8-1 start to the second set ended up being the difference for the Warriors despite rebuttals of 4-0 and 6-0 thereafter by Academy of Art that featured points scored by Tuinauvai, Alohi Garcia, and graduate student opposite Claire Ricard. The latter of those bursts brought the Knights to within five at 23-18, however, Stan State managed to end on top 25-18 once again.

Looking at a tie score on 10 different occasions throughout the third set, the two teams were in lock step. Consecutive putaways by Tuinauvai enabled ART U to achieve its final deadlock at 23-23 before the Warriors captured the 25-23 victory and the match.

MATCH #2 – JESSUP 3, ART U 0
Kills from Alohi Garcia, Reed, and Ricard pushed Academy of Art to a 4-1 lead out of the gate, but Jessup soon responded and the opening set was repeatedly tied until the ball was slammed down twice by junior right side/middle blocker Katherine Von Kraut during a 5-0 run to a 20-17 advantage. Eight of the final 10 points went the other way, however, as a 25-22 win was awarded to Jessup.

Ricard had her hand on back-to-back kills that capped a 5-0 beginning to the second frame and, though ART U held an 8-2 lead thereafter, the Warriors rallied back to eventually move ahead 20-17. The sides traded scores down the stretch, setting up Jessup for the win 25-21.

Neither of the two squads led by more than two points through the first 32 points that were collectively scored in the third set and, though the Warriors did go up 20-15, kills by three different Knights closed the gap to 21-19 soon after. Denying Jessup the first set point with a quick 3-0 surge, Academy of Art suddenly had its own set point at 25-24, but the action would continue back and forth until consecutive kills sealed the 29-27 victory for the Warriors.

ART U, now 0-4 overall, initially had both Tuinauvai and Alohi Garcia with nine kills apiece in the first contest before the latter of the pair logged her first collegiate double-double with a season-high 13 kills and a career-high 11 digs versus Jessup. Senior setter Elly McInerney had her two largest assist totals of the season at 26 then 31 while freshman libero/defensive specialist Kyriah Trefren finished the nightcap with 14 digs for her highest mark to date.

Stanislaus State, led by nine kills from Ellison Weaver, exits the season-opening tournament at 4-0 overall. With Madalyn Miller's 13 kills pacing the team, Jessup moves to 1-3 overall.

Academy of Art next enters its second non-conference tournament of the season as the Knights face Texas A&M-Kingsville and Western New Mexico to begin Western Colorado's Mountaineer Volleyball Classic in Colorado on Sept. 13.