BELMONT, Calif. – Wearing pink ribbons, crafting signage, and providing pink bracelets to fans were just some of the ways Academy of Art volleyball helped promote breast cancer awareness for its "Dig Pink" matchup hosting Fresno Pacific inside Walter Gleason Gym. Saturday's second meeting of the two Pacific West Conference squads ended up breaking the visitors' way 3-0 (26-24, 25-22, 25-18) with the Sunbirds gaining momentum from a narrow opening set.

FPU built a 9-4 lead to start the afternoon, but that margin was quickly shortened on four consecutive scores by ART U including a pair of kills from senior outside hitter Isaura Santos. Another brief separation by Fresno Pacific was again answered as freshman libero Ainsley Robare delivered a service ace to cap a 3-0 run, making it 15-15. In the opening set's late stages, both teams had opportunities with advantages beginning with a 5-1 push that took the Urban Knights from down two to up 21-19 with graduate student outside hitter Maya McClellan swinging for two kills. A 5-1 response by the Sunbirds brought them set point at 24-22, but McClellan plus graduate student outside hitter Amalie Rupertova sent down kills to return things to a tie score. In the end, FPU captured the 26-24 win following two more points thereafter.

McClellan and Santos took turns each scoring back-to-back kills as Academy of Art gained a 4-0 lead to start the second frame, but from up 9-6, momentum shifted as the visitors executed a 6-0 run. Steady offense from ART U included a 5-2 surge late yet the Knights could not get closer than a single point of their opponents. Beginning with a Santos kill to make it 18-17, three more times Academy of Art had the lead at one, but four of the final six points would go the Sunbirds' way to get them a 25-22 win.

Ahead 11-4 early in the third, Fresno Pacific faced four consecutive points as an ART U rebuttal with sophomore right side Katherine Von Kraut recording two kills. Soon the score became tied 16-16 as two kills from senior middle blocker Jillian Wheaton highlighted a 5-0 surge and, though another tie would ensue thereafter, an 8-1 push by FPU allowed them to secure the victory 25-18.

Saturday's result puts Academy of Art at 5-19 overall and 4-11 in conference action. The Knights' highest dig total (61) for a three-set match this season was led by McClellan's ninth double-double (11 kills, 12 digs) along with nine kills and a team-high 15 digs from Santos. It was the third double-double of the year for junior setter Elly McInerney as her 31 assists paired with 10 digs while Robare contributed 11 digs. Wheaton's three block assists elevated her into a tie for fourth in the program's career history with Lindsay Elgin (206) and one more block solo gave Wheaton 40 in her career to step ever closer to Amy Bush's ART U record at 43 solo rejections.

Fresno Pacific, led by Makena Ogas' 14-kill and 10-dig double-double, improves to 13-7 overall and 12-3 in PacWest play.

The final roadtrip of the season is on the horizon for ART U as the Urban Knights return to Southern California to rematch Azusa Pacific (Nov. 3) and Biola (Nov. 4) late this coming week.