Match #25
ART U Urban Knights (7-17, 3-13 PWC) vs. California Baptist Lancers (18-6, 11-5 PWC)
Friday, November 13, 2015 at 1:30 p.m.
San Francisco – Kezar Pavilion
Live Stats & Live Video

Match #26
ART U Urban Knights (7-17, 3-13 PWC) vs. Azusa Pacific Cougars (12-12, 8-7 PWC)
Saturday, November 14, 2015 at 1 p.m.
San Francisco – Kezar Pavilion
Live Stats & Live Video

URBAN KNIGHTS' HOMESTAND PITS NORTH VS. SOUTH
Coming off a thrilling 3-2 victory over Hawaii Pacific and now in their penultimate week of the season, Academy of Art University volleyball welcomes California Baptist and Azusa Pacific to the Bay Area this Friday and Saturday.

FIRST SERVE
ART U goes back-to-back afternoons this week, hosting California Baptist on Friday at 1:30 p.m. then Azusa Pacific on Saturday at 1 p.m. both inside Kezar Pavilion. Live coverage will be available via the links above. Remember to follow @ARTU_Knights on Twitter & Instagram and "Like" the Urban Knights on Facebook for score updates, videos, and recaps.

KNIGHT WATCH
Playing well on both sides of the ball, junior outside hitter Melissa Brum now owns a streak of three consecutive double-doubles highlighted by her 1,000th career kill versus Chaminade this past week on Nov. 5. Up to 3.51 kills per set (10th in PacWest) and top 25 in the conference in digs per set (2.84), Brum became the second Urban Knight in program history to reach quadruple digits in kills. Brum has combined with freshman outside hitter Stine Raben (3.22 kills per set) to create one of just four PacWest teams with a duo among the top 15 in kills per set.

Senior setter Rachael Smith is approaching 4,000 assists after putting up 50+ in two of her past three matches. A 9.91 assists per set average has Smith now fourth in the PacWest with 3,917 assists for her career. Sophomore middle blocker Margaret Winkler continues to rank third in the PacWest in blocks per set (1.02) while freshman middle blocker Safua Elisaia comes off a Nov. 7 performance that saw her tie the ART U single-match record for blocks (11). Junior libero Kabrina Speakman leads the team defensively with 4.14 digs per set.

CALIFORNIA BLOCKIN'
Though second in the PacWest standings, California Baptist has won just one of their past four matches, dropping 3-1 scores to UH Hilo, Point Loma, and first-place Dixie State before sweeping Concordia 3-0. The Lancers, who face NDNU on Nov. 12 prior to Academy of Art, received five votes in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association Division II Coaches Top 25 Poll and have enjoyed two separate six-match winning streaks earlier in the year. CBU leads the conference in hitting percentage (.250) while holding opponents to the PacWest's lowest clip (.159) and does the same with blocking, leading with 2.72 blocks per set while allowing just 1.51. The team's offense flows through Lauren Hackett, whose 4.05 kills per set are third in the conference, and Jenna Perry, whose 3.35 kills per set are 12th. California Baptist leads ART U 6-1 all-time, but dropped their last match inside Kezar Pavilion 3-2 in 2014.

AZUSA APPROACHING
At 12-12 overall and 8-7 in conference, Azusa Pacific has had an up-and-down year after a seven-match win streak moving early into PacWest play. The Cougars won four in a row (three in Hawaii) then dropped three consecutive contests with a pair of five-setters against Dixie State and Point Loma. APU faces Dominican (Nov. 12) and Holy Names (Nov. 13) prior to meeting Academy of Art as the third of three matches in three days. The Cougars rank third in the PacWest in blocks (2.12 b/s) thanks in large part to Crystal Dedes who averages the fourth-most blocks per set in the conference (1.00 b/s). Ashley Midland is another offensive weapon as the second-ranked hitter by percentage (.339) in the PacWest. The Knights have only met the Cougars three times to date and APU holds a 2-1 lead.

ACADEMY OF ART OUTLASTS HAWAII PACIFIC 3-2
ART U volleyball showed tremendous resilience on Nov. 7 evening inside Kezar Pavilion as Hawaii Pacific rallied late to force a fifth set in which Academy of Art pushed through to win 3-2 (23-25, 25-18, 25-20, 23-25, 15-13). A complete team effort had four Urban Knights register double-digit kills and three double-doubles.

LOOKING AHEAD
Academy of Art will complete their 2015 campaign next week with one final road match at Fresno Pacific on Nov. 19 before "Senior Day" hosting Dominican on Nov. 21.