SAN FRANCISCO – With a 3-1 loss to Dominican, Academy of Art's four match win-streak was snapped on Wednesday night inside Kezar Pavilion. The Urban Knights went out to a 1-0 lead with a 25-16 win in the first set, but the Penguins rattled off three straight to take the match. Junior middle blocker Carly Evetts continued her torrid streak, posting 14 kills for her fifth straight match with double-digit kills while hitting an exceptional .481 for her best hitting percentage this season. 

"Getting up on teams helps us with confidence and we can carry it through," said head coach Allen McCreary. "Our pin hitters had a hard time putting the ball away tonight not taking advantage of what DU was doing. They did a good job at making us play there game."

The first set victory was fueled by a tremendous start, as ART U began the match with five unanswered points. Junior middle blocker Sadie Emery started the run with her first of nine kills, and junior outside hitter Ashley Pawlak bookended the run with a service ace. As soon as DU cut the deficit to two, down 12-10, the Urban Knights went on another 5-0 run, with a pair of kills from Emery and back-to-back service aces from sophomore setter Picabo Reinhold to take a 17-10 lead. The Urban Knights closed out the set with three unanswered points, ending with a Penguins attack error to give ART U a 25-16 first set win. 

A much closer set brought the score to 9-8 in favor of ART U, but they separated with a 4-0 run capped by a kill from sophomore middle blocker Jillian Wheaton to take a 13-9 lead. After a couple of rallies, a kill from Evetts gave ART U a 17-14 lead, but the Penguins came back with three straight points to tie the match. The Urban Knights reclaimed the lead at 23-21, but DU won four straight rallies to take the second set and even the match at one. 

A tightly contested third set with runs from both sides reached a boiling point as the Penguins held a 24-22 lead. ART U spoiled one match point with a kill from Emery, but DU took the next point for a 2-1 advantage. 

Reinhold gave ART U the first point in the fourth set on her third service ace of the match. The teams exchanged leads until the Penguins took a 13-10 lead. From there, DU controlled the match and emerged victorious with a 25-16 win in the fourth set. 

Reinhold finished the match with a double-double on 41 assists and 18 digs and junior outside hitter Mariana Figueroa Ferriera finished the match with eight kills. 

After the loss Academy of Art falls to 10-13 overall and 7-8 in conference. The Urban Knights will travel to Azusa Pacific next for a Nov. 8 match starting at 6 p.m. at the Felix Event Center.