GAME #24
ART U Urban Knights (9-14, 5-10 PacWest) vs. Holy Names (1-25, 1-15 PacWest)
November 6, 2013 at 7:00 PM
Oakland, CA -- Tobin Gymnasium
Live Video

GAME #25
ART U Urban Knights (9-14, 5-10 PacWest) vs. Fresno Pacific (11-11, 6-9 PacWest)
November 8, 2013 at 7:00 PM
San Francisco, CA -- Kezar Pavilion
Live Stats | Live Video

GAME #26
ART U Urban Knights (9-14, 5-10 PacWest) vs. Notre Dame de Namur (5-20, 2-14 PacWest)
November 9, 2013 at 7:00 PM
San Francisco, CA -- Kezar Pavilion
Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio

OPENING SERVE
The Urban Knights are looking to break out of a four-game slide which saw them go winless in Hawaii, but will have exactly five games left to even up their record for the year. They can get a jump on that goal by taking the three games this week, which would pull them closer to the .500 mark in PacWest play. Academy of Art has shown that they can win against good teams, and will face one in Fresno Pacific on Friday, bookended by a pair of local teams below them in the standings.

HAWKS STILL GROUNDED IN 2013
The Holy Names Hawks battled for three sets against Notre Dame de Namur on October 24th to ensure that they will not finish the year winless, but have still struggled mightily this year, ranking last in the conference virtually every category. In their matchup earlier this year, the Urban Knights won in straight sets behind 12 kills from Lindsay Elgin and 10 kills from Melissa Brum. Southpaw Rachel Vartanian did some damage, totaling 16 kills for the Hawks in the loss. Vartanian continues to lead her squad with 270 kills on the season, almost 100 more than the next highest attacker on the team.

SMITH, KNIGHTS ON STAT WATCH
ART U setter Rachael Smith has emerged in her second season for the Urban Knights, and is on pace to cement herself as having one of the better seasons in Urban Knights history. She sits at 934 sets on the season, and if she keeps up her program-best pace of 10.61 assists per set, should reach 1000 by the end of the week. Kanoe Irvine (59) and Brittany Ulmer (57) are both poised to overtake the top spot in terms of career aces, currently held by Angela Heath (62). Irvine is also coming up on 400 digs in 2013, while freshman Melissa Brum is 10 kills away from 250 on the year.

SUNBIRDS SHAKY OUTSIDE FRESNO
Fresno Pacific finished second in the PacWest last year with a 28-4 record overall, going 15-1 in conference, but has struggled in 2013, playing to an even 11-11 overall mark and a 6-9 PacWest record. The Sunbirds have dropped three straight, and are 3-7 away from home. Rupia Inck remains one of the best hitters in the conference, leading in total attacks with 356 kills overall and coming in second in kills per set (4.24). Freshman setter Bissie DenHartog is averaging 9.73 assists per game, which ranks seventh in the PacWest. After playing 15 games in conference, the Knights and Sunbirds will face each other twice in the last five games

BORING CAPS OFF EXCITING CAREER
Senior middle blocker Caitlin Boring will be playing her final game in Kezar Pavilion this weekend, capping off a successful career as an Urban Knight that saw her play in 70 matches heading into Wednesday's matchup, which ranks seventh in ART U history. Boring also ranks in the top ten with 117 blocks (9th), 389 kills (7th), and a career hitting percentage of .208, good for 6th all-time. This year she put up double-digits in kills seven times, including a career high 17 kills against Dominican back on October 19th.

SIX IN A ROW FOR SLUMPING ARGOS
Notre Dame de Namur University stunned the Urban Knights earlier this year, so Saturday's game coupled with the Senior Day festivities, should have emotions running high headed into it. Since that win, however, the Argos have lost six in a row. In the matchup, the Knights only had one player reach double figures (Brum, 10), while the Argonauts were led by Dominique Tarrant, who had 14 kills. Tarrant is one of a two-headed attack from NDNU, as both she (203 kills) and Brooke DeMiguel (208 kills) are leading the team in kills. Jaqueline Harper and Kamene Rose split serving duties, while Chelsea Olsen leads the way with 51 total blocks.

SETTING IT UP
After the three games this weekend, which include the Urban Knights final two home games of the season, Academy of Art hits the road to end the year. They'll travel to Fresno to face the Sunbirds again on November 13th before finishing the year against rival Dominican University on November 15th in San Rafael.