SAN FRANCISCO – The wins kept coming for Academy of Art volleyball on Saturday as the Urban Knights picked up their fifth victory in their past six matches, combining for their highest hitting percentage of the year (.291) in a 3-0 triumph (25-20, 25-20, 27-25) over Fresno Pacific. All hitting .370 or higher with eight or more kills, sophomore middle blocker Jillian Wheaton, junior middle blocker Carly Evetts, and sophomore outside hitter Celena Davison led the charge offensively.

Even through the early stages of set one, the scoreboard shifted on a 6-1 run from ART U sparked by two kills from Wheaton. The Urban Knights' lead would not last, but a 16-16 tie soon became a 21-18 advantage for the home team on three more put-aways by Wheaton and a 25-20 set victory was the result of a 4-1 Academy of Art push at the end.

ART U never trailed in the second set after a 5-0 surge came early and, despite seeing the Sunbirds cut the margin to one at 13-12, the Knights executed a 5-1 shift to extend the gap. Down the stretch, Evetts and Davison combined for kills on five straight points before another Wheaton spike finished the frame at 25-20.

Academy of Art's biggest run of the afternoon came with six unanswered in the third set, giving ART U an 11-7 lead. However, Fresno Pacific would not be swept without a fight. The Sunbirds worked their way back with an 11-4 rebuttal, but the Knights trumped that with three brief 3-0 pushes during what was a 9-2 momentum shift. Sophomore setter Picabo Reinhold dropped kills of her own in the first two runs then set Davison twice for what ultimately became a 23-20 advantage. Wheaton's kill made it 24-21 yet four straight FPU points nearly gave the visitors the set. In the end, an attack error combined with kills from junior middle blocker/opposite Sadie Emery and junior outside hitter Mariana Figueroa Ferriera finished the job 27-25.

With the win, the Urban Knights improve to 8-13 overall and 6-7 in PacWest play. Wheaton's 14 kills came with a sparkling .650 hitting percentage and Evetts' 12 kills (her third straight contest in double figures) were on a .370 clip. Davison broke out for a career-high eight kills while hitting .400 and Emery added eight kills of her own. Reinhold finished with 43 assists and eight digs. Combining for 37 digs was the tandem of Figueroa Ferriera (19) and junior libero Michaela Charrette (18).

Losing the season series with ART U, Fresno Pacific drops to 3-20 on the year and 2-12 in conference. Makena Ogas led the Sunbirds with 10 kills and Christina Tran was on her way to a triple-double with 19 assists, nine digs, and seven kills.

Academy of Art returns to action this Wednesday, Oct. 30 for a 7 p.m. road match at Holy Names.