SAN FRANCISCO – Channeling the energy of a large crowd inside Kezar Pavilion on Thursday night, Academy of Art University volleyball battled back from a two-set deficit to take the third, but ended up falling 3-1 (25-23, 25-20, 14-25, 25-17) to Fresno Pacific.
ART U led by as many as four points midway through the first set after a kill by redshirt sophomore middle blocker
Safua Elisaia capped a quick 3-0 run to 14-10. The teams traded short runs and points until a 21-21 tie showed on the scoreboard. From there, the Sunbirds used a crucial momentum shift with three straight scores to force set point. Although Academy of Art stayed alive for two points thereafter, a kill by Bissie DenHartog earned the visitors the opening set 25-23.
The second set was even to 18-18 where two separate 3-0 runs gave Fresno Pacific the 25-20 win. Coming out of the 10-minute intermission with a charged crowd behind them, the Knights scored six unanswered during a 7-2 start. During that stretch, Elisaia had three service aces, senior outside hitter
Kabrina Speakman offered two kills, and the momentum was now firmly on ART U's side. Offense from up and down the roster maintained that advantage the rest of the set and soon a 10-2 surge featuring a three kills by sophomore outside hitter
Hanna Kahn finished things off with Academy of Art on top 25-14.
As both teams jockeyed for position in the fourth set, it was a 5-0 FPU push midway through that marked the most significant shift. It would become an 8-1 run and despite two kills from junior middle blocker
Margaret Winkler down the stretch, the Sunbirds remained ahead for the 25-17 victory and the 3-1 win in the end.
ART U moves to 7-21 overall and 5-14 in the PacWest. Elisaia led all Knights with 11 kills and five service aces which matched her own program record for a four-set match. Kahn had nine kills and junior middle blocker
Bailey Soolsma posted eight kills. Freshman setter
Lilika Teu had 31 assists while senior libero
Melissa Brum added 16 digs to lead all players.
Fresno Pacific rises to 10-13 overall and 8-11 in conference play after Carley Bock delivered a team-high 11 kills to go with six blocks.
The Knights' final match of the season will be this Saturday, Nov. 19 when Academy of Art travels to Oakland and Tobin Gymnasium for a 3 p.m. first serve against Holy Names.
