HILO, Hawaii – Determined to start its Pacific West Conference Hawaii roadtrip on a winning note, Academy of Art volleyball claimed the first and final two sets over UH Hilo 3-1 (25-21, 14-25, 25-23, 25-21) on Friday night inside Vulcan Gymnasium, becoming the first team to defeat the Vulcans on their home court this season. All-around play saw the Urban Knights hit .241 as a team with eight total blocks (second-highest total of the year) and 77 digs (the team's fourth-best mark in 2021).
"The team is playing well and we have been working hard at not making the unforced errors and learning to play smart volleyball," said Head Coach
Allen McCreary. "It's nice to be able to start a roadtrip with a win especially when you're playing some of the top teams in the conference."
A pair of kills came from senior middle blocker/opposite
Sadie Emery at the match's start then Emery would start a string of three consecutive put-aways with freshman
Ashley Mecham and junior outside hitter
Isaura Santos to go up 18-13. Though the Vulcans pulled to within a single point late, ART U connected on the points it needed for a 25-21 win, ending on a solo block from junior middle blocker
Jillian Wheaton.
The second set was closely contested through a 6-6 score, but UH Hilo ended up using a 12-2 run to secure the 25-14 victory and effectively even the match at one set apiece.
Starting the third frame with seven unanswered points that included back-to-back kills by freshman outside hitter
Katherine Von Kraut, ART U soon found itself up 11-2, but the margin was overcome as a Vulcans comeback took the form of a 13-3 run. The set soon became up for grabs at a 20-20 deadlock. From there, the Knights built a 24-21 advantage with three kills by Mecham, but UH Hilo resiliently fought off two set points. Academy of Art, however, ultimately had Wheaton and Mecham combine to block the final attack from the home team, securing the 25-23 score and a 2-1 lead in sets.
The rematch appeared headed for a fifth set when the Vulcans began the fourth up 14-9, but six of seven from the Knights worked them back into a 15-15 tie with Santos' kill and subsequent service ace highlighting the run. The push quickly became 12-3 as Mecham sent down consecutive kills before Von Kraut and Wheaton teamed up for a block. Up 21-17, the Knights looked to two Santos kills and one from Mecham for the finishing blows in what was a 25-21 result for the win.
ART U's third consecutive victory puts them now at 8-14 overall and 4-9 in PacWest play. Santos' match-high 18 kills came with a season-high 21 digs for her fifth double-double while Mecham earned her 13th double-double by way of 15 kills and 16 digs. Emery hit .455 en route to 12 kills and junior setter
Picabo Reinhold finished with 51 assists plus nine digs. It was 15 digs for senior defensive specialist
Catharina Brant Bambirra and Wheaton posted four block assists with one block solo.
Losing for just the fifth time this season and the first on their home floor, UH Hilo drops to 13-5 on the season and 10-3 in conference action. Four Vulcans reached double figures in kills led by Bria Beale's 14, Kendall Kott added 48 assists, and Tani Hokie contributed a match-high 25 digs.
The Urban Knights' Hawaii roadtrip continues this Saturday, Nov. 6 with a first serve set for 3 p.m. HT (6 p.m. PT) against Chaminade inside McCabe Gymnasium in Honolulu.
"Winning three matches in a row helps with some momentum as we face another tough team on Saturday," McCreary said. "The focus will be on us as a team and will be continuing to get better each time we step on the court."
