Match #19
ART U Urban Knights (5-13, 3-6 PWC) vs. Holy Names Hawks (1-18, 0-11 PWC)
Thursday, October 20, 2016 at 7:30 p.m.
San Francisco, Calif. – Kezar Pavilion
Live Stats & Live Video

Match #20
ART U Urban Knights (5-13, 3-6 PWC) vs. Fresno Pacific Sunbirds (5-9, 3-7 PWC)
Saturday, October 22, 2016 at 3 p.m.
Fresno, Calif. – Special Events Center
Live Stats & Live Video

ART U HOSTS HAWKS, FINDS SUNBIRDS ON THE ROAD
As Pacific West Conference play continues on, the Urban Knights remain in their Northern California pod this week with a home contest against Holy Names on Thursday followed by a roadtrip to Fresno Pacific this weekend.

FIRST SERVE
Academy of Art plays host to Holy Names this Thursday, Oct. 20 at 7:30 p.m. inside Kezar Pavilion. Two days later on Saturday, Oct. 22, ART U heads to Fresno for a matchup with FPU at 3 p.m. inside Special Events Center. 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
Up to fourth in the PacWest in both blocks per set (2.17) and service aces per set (1.60) as a team (2.17), Academy of Art carries the conference's top middle blocker in junior Margaret Winkler. The Poznan, Poland native averages 1.16 blocks per set for a top 30 ranking across NCAA Division II. At 3.03 kills per set, senior outside hitter Melissa Brum is the team's leader and continues to close in on history as she on track to become ART U's career kills leader with just 26 more. Freshman setter Lilika Teu ranks ninth in the PacWest at 6.43 assists per set and redshirt freshman Ema Causevic remains one of the conference's top servers with the fourth-most aces per set (0.37). After her team-high 15th match with double-digit digs against NDNU, redshirt sophomore defensive specialist Lyndsay Mlynar has stayed in the PacWest's top 10 in digs per set (3.84).

HAWK TALK
After starting the year 0-6, Holy Names earned its first and only victory thus far with a 3-0 sweep of Cal State East Bay during the D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase. Since that time, HNU has fallen in 12 consecutive matches, winning just five sets in that period. Melissa Munley leads the teams with 3.04 points per set primarily by way of her 2.78 kills per frame. This Thursday will be the first of the teams' two meetings this season as ART U looks to improve upon its 11-4 all-time record against Holy Names.

GETTING TO KNOW FRESNO
Breathing down the Knights' necks in the PacWest standings, Fresno Pacific is 5-9 overall and 3-7 in conference. The Sunbirds topped Concordia (Ore.) and SF State in their season-opening D2 West Region Volleyball Showcase then later picked up wins over Point Loma, Holy Names, and BYU-Hawaii in conference play. Road losses to Hawaii Pacific and UH Hilo came most recently for FPU prior to this weekend's action. Karah Mitchell is the Sunbirds' primary attacker (3.77 kills per set), but Montana Lowe ranks second in the PacWest in hitting percentage (.357). Fresno Pacific leads ART U 6-1 in seven historical meetings.

ARGONAUTS TOP KNIGHTS IN FOUR-SET BATTLE
Back inside Kezar Pavilion after its Hawaii roadtrip, Academy of Art University volleyball found itself locked in a see-saw matchup with Notre Dame de Namur on Oct. 15. An extended first set demonstrated both teams' fight and when the dust had settled, it was the Argonauts who prevailed 3-1 (29-27, 25-17, 20-25, 25-23).

LOOKING AHEAD
A home contest hosting Dixie State will be the Urban Knights' lone match in the week that follows and that will take place Saturday, Oct. 29 at 3 p.m.