SAN FRANCISCO – Up against Hawaii Pacific for the second time this season, Academy of Art volleyball made late comeback attempts in the first two sets, but ended up taking a 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-15) loss to the Sharks inside Kezar Pavilion on Saturday afternoon. With a block and eight kills in the match, redshirt senior middle blocker Safua Elisaia moved up in the program's career record list, tying the blocks record (303) and taking fifth in kills (614).

The first set was evenly played through its first 20 points, but a brief 6-3 run by HPU gave them the first real separation. The Urban Knights, however, surged back into it with five of seven scores including a pair of kills from freshman middle blocker Jillian Wheaton. Though the visitors threatened, going up 23-19, three straight points by ART U was started by a sophomore outside hitter Ashley Pawlak kill then finished on a service ace from senior setter Alana Lucas. The Sharks would force set point thereafter and, though another kill by Pawlak denied them once, Carson Pyle's kill ended the frame in Hawaii Pacific's favor 25-23.

Academy of Art dictated the tempo early in the second set as Elisaia and Wheaton combined for a block on the Knights' first point, knotting Elisaia with former teammate Margaret Winkler for the program's record in career blocks. Wheaton and Elisaia would each deliver kills along with Pawlak thereafter to help ART U go up 9-3. A 7-0 rebuttal from HPU, however, gave the visitors an 11-10 advantage and they were soon up 17-13. Junior opposite Kiersten Kerch then delivered a kill which sparked a 4-0 run that also saw Wheaton with a solo block. Anyone's set from that point on, the score was tied 20-20 and, when the Sharks again forced set point, two straight by the Knights brought them to within one point before a 25-23 final ensued.

After Hawaii Pacific started the third set ahead 13-3, kills by Pawlak, sophomore middle blocker Sadie Emery, and Elisaia gave ART U life. HPU sat just three points from completing the sweep, but Academy of Art made a final push, scoring six of the next seven points with three kills from Pawlak and a solo block by Emery. In the end, the margin proved to be too great and the Sharks held on for a 25-15 victory.

Academy of Art drops to 0-25 on the year and 0-17 in PacWest competition. Pawlak led the way with 12 kills, her fourth consecutive double-digit effort, while Elisaia and Wheaton each had eight kills apiece. Wheaton added five block assists and one block solo while Elisaia also finished with nine digs and the block assist to tie her with Winkler. Kerch had seven kills, freshman setter Picabo Reinhold turned in 31 assists, and redshirt senior libero Lyndsay Mlynar contributed 10 digs.

Hawaii Pacific ascends to 11-13 overall and 10-8 in conference play. The tandem of Chandler Lippincott and Nicole Ferris combined for 20 kills (10 each).

ART U will play its penultimate home game of the season this Wednesday, Oct. 31 with Holy Names in town for a 7 p.m. first serve.