Match #13
ART U Urban Knights (3-9, 0-5 PWC) vs. No. 5 CBU Lancers (13-0, 5-0)
Wednesday, October 4, 2017 at 7 p.m.
Riverside, Calif. – Van Dyne Gym
Live Stats & Live Video

Match #14
ART U Urban Knights (3-9, 0-5 PWC) vs. No. 24 APU Cougars (13-1, 6-0 PWC)
Thursday, October 5, 2017 at 6 p.m.
Azusa, Calif. – Felix Event Center
Live Stats | Live Video

Match #15
ART U Urban Knights (3-9, 0-5 PWC) vs. PLNU Sea Lions (6-8, 3-3 PWC)
Saturday, October 7, 2017 at 3 p.m.
San Diego – Golden Gym
Live Stats & Live Video

KNIGHTS TO CHALLENGE RANKED OPPONENTS IN SOCAL
Academy of Art University volleyball goes up against not only the top teams in the Pacific West Conference week, but two who are nationally-ranked among the country's top 25. Southern California will be the site of matchups with No. 5 California Baptist, No. 24 Azusa Pacific, and Point Loma during a four-day span.

FIRST SERVE
The Urban Knights get started in Riverside on Wednesday, Oct. 4 with a 7 p.m. first serve against the No. 5 Lancers then travel to Azusa for Thursday's 6 p.m. matchup with the No. 24 Cougars. After a day off, ART U closes out its trip in San Diego with Point Loma at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7. 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
ART U remains among the PacWest's upper tier in service aces per set at fourth overall currently (1.58). The outside hitting tandem of senior Bailey Soolsma and freshman Kimiah Johnson are fifth and ninth in the conference in kills per set at 3.50 and 3.18 respectively while their distributor, sophomore setter Lilika Teu, finds herself sixth in assists per set (7.33). Soolsma comes off a career-high 23 kills against Fresno Pacific. Senior middle blocker Margaret Winkler continues to average at least one block per set (she is eighth in the conference at 1.00 b/s) and needs six more to become the program's career record holder. Freshman libero Ashley Pawlak, who has amassed 20+ digs on four occasions this year, has cracked the PacWest's top 10 in digs per set (3.92). 

LANCERS AMONG THE LEADERS
Having moved up two spots in the AVCA DII national rankings, No. 5 California Baptist has yet to take a loss this season. The Lancers, who have conceded just two sets all year, have gone 13-0 and are perfect through five matches in conference play. CBU leads the PacWest in hitting percentage (.291) as well as per set averages in kills (15.05), assists (13.98), and digs (16.93). Three Lancers rank among the conference's top 10 in kills per set including Lauren Hackett (3.89), Madison Witt (3.75), and McKenna Witt (3.36). With those hitters, it is no surprise that Sydney Kralj is the PacWest top-ranked setter in assists per set (11.77).  Historically, California Baptist has gone 7-2 against Academy of Art.

IT'S A ZU OUT THERE
Although California Baptist is ranked higher nationally, No. 24 Azusa Pacific is currently atop the PacWest standings with a 6-0 record. The Cougars are 13-1 overall and while their lone loss was to UC San Diego, other teams have pushed them to a fifth set including Alaska Anchorage, Central Washington, and Biola most recently on Sept. 22. APU ranks second in the conference in hitting percentage (.246) and kills (13.08). Julianne Miller is by far the PacWest's leader in hitting percentage (.429), but Sara Wagenveld is third with a strong .351 thus far. Wagenveld is also the conference's leader at 1.29 blocks per set. The Cougars and Knights have met six times previously and the sides come in knotted at 3-3.

TO THE POINT
After losing their first five matches of 2017, Point Loma won three of their next four and has since gone 3-3 since the start of PacWest play. The Sea Lions, who are slated to face Concordia on Oct. 5, fell to the two aforementioned SoCal teams as well as UH Hilo, but defeated Notre Dame de Namur, Biola, and Chaminade. The conference leader in service aces per set (1.79), PLNU is led by the PacWest's No. 1 and No. 2-ranked servers in aces per set with Julia Malinas (0.58) and Emily Coleman (0.47) while Holley Persson checks in as the leader in digs per set (5.67). Point Loma is 5-0 all-time against ART U.

SUNBIRDS SNEAK PAST ART IN FIVE-SET BATTLE
Although Academy of Art University volleyball gained a two-set lead and was up early in the fifth set, it was Fresno Pacific who ended up coming all the way back to win 3-2 (22-25, 25-21, 22-25, 25-21, 15-13) on Sept. 29 inside Kezar Pavilion. A career-high 23 kills from senior outside hitter Bailey Soolsma was not enough as a 13-6 blocking advantage helped the Sunbirds secure several crucial points.

LOOKING AHEAD
With their three-match roadtrip complete, ART U will return for a four-part homestand in which Hawaii Pacific (Oct. 11), Concordia (Oct. 13), Dixie State (Oct. 16), and Biola (Oct. 19) come to town.