Match #25
ART U Urban Knights (5-19, 4-11 PacWest) vs. Azusa Pacific Cougars (14-12, 10-7 PacWest)
Thursday, November 3, 2022 at 6 p.m.
Azusa, Calif. – Felix Event Center
Live Stats | Live Video

Match #26
ART U Urban Knights (5-19, 4-11 PacWest) vs. Biola Eagles (15-9, 12-5 PacWest)
Friday, November 4, 2022 at 5 p.m.
La Mirada, Calif. – Chase Gymnasium
Live Stats | Live Video

Match #27
ART U Urban Knights (5-19, 4-11 PacWest) vs. UH Hilo Vulcans (2-20, 2-14 PacWest)
Monday, November 7, 2022 at 6:30 p.m.
Belmont, Calif. – Walter Gleason Gym
Live Stats & Live Video

WEEK TO FEATURE FINAL SOCAL TRIP, FIRST IN SERIES HOSTING HAWAII
Closing in on the season's home stretch, Academy of Art volleyball travels to Southern California once more for Pacific West Conference rematches with Azusa Pacific and Biola before returning to the Bay Area to host UH Hilo in the start to the last week of the regular season.

FIRST SERVE
The first two matches of November will see ART U in action against Azusa Pacific on Thursday, Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. from the Felix Event Center then Biola will be the host on Friday, Nov. 4 at 5 p.m. inside Chase Gymnasium. When the Knights clash with the Vulcans for a second time this year, it will be at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 7 inside Walter Gleason Gym. Remember to follow @ARTU_Knights via the athletics app (Apple App Store, Google Play Store) and on Twitter & Instagram, as well as "Like" the Urban Knights on Facebook for score updates, videos, and recaps.

KNIGHT WATCH
After each achieved double-digit kill totals last week, graduate student outside hitters Amalie Rupertova and Maya McClellan now represent the only two Urban Knights inside the PacWest's top seven in kills per set at 3.27 (sixth) and 2.88 (seventh) respectively. The pair has combined for 15 total double-doubles this season as well with McClellan second on the team at 2.78 digs per set and Rupertova not far behind (2.52).

Now with 20 or more assists in each of her last six matches, junior setter Elly McInerney checks in at sixth in the conference in assists per set (6.33). Meanwhile, senior libero Isaura Santos has elevated to third in the PacWest with 3.92 digs per set with double-digit totals in 11 of her last 13 matches.

As the season approaches its finale, senior middle blocker Jillian Wheaton remains very much in the hunt for history among the program's career block ranks. Currently averaging a team-high 0.74 blocks per set, Wheaton has risen to second only to career leader Amy Bush in block solos (40, four from a new record), fourth in total blocks (246), and fifth in block assists (206, tied for fourth all-time with Lindsay Elgin).

COUGARS' CAMP
In the time following its win over ART U in early October, Azusa Pacific has gone 3-4 including a 2-1 swing through its recent Hawaii roadtrip. The Cougars rank third in the PacWest in hitting percentage (.224) as well as second in assists (11.56) and fourth in kills per set (12.31) with Kyra Palmbush the conference leader in hitting percentage (.371) and fifth in blocks per set (0.95) while Annaka Jorgenson checks in at third in the PacWest in kills per set (3.57). Nine consecutive victories have pushed APU to a 11-3 lead over the Knights historically.

EAGLES EVALUATION
Biola added four more victories (three sweeps) to just one loss after its victory at Academy of Art on Oct. 8, putting BU fifth in the conference standings with only one additional loss behind Concordia. Like APU, the Eagles are among the PacWest leaders, ranking fourth in hitting percentage (.215), second in kills per set (12.58), and third in assists per set (11.47). Anna Aubele's 3.42 kills per set (fifth) and Kendall Vandertuig's 2.87 kills per set (eighth) are both inside the conference's top eight while Abby Brewster paces the PacWest at 9.66 assists per set. Biola remains in front 8-0 in its historical matchup with ART U.

REVIEWING THE VULCANS
UH Hilo travels to the mainland for the second and final time this season after seeing its 10-match losing streak (which included the Knights' 3-2 victory on Sept. 19) broken up on Oct. 15 with a sweep of Dominican. Since that time, the Vulcans have dropped four in a row and now close out their season with four matches against PacWest Northern California teams with Holy Names (Nov. 4) and Dominican (Nov. 5) up before ART U. UH Hilo sits fourth in the conference at 16.01 digs per set with Tani Hoke's 4.50 average second overall and the pairing of Nikki Logan (3.43 kills per set) and Samara Cruz (2.80 kills per set) both among the PacWest's top nine. Winners in the teams' last two meetings, Academy of Art trails the Vulcans 15-5 all-time.

ACADEMY OF ART SWEEPS SEASON SERIES WITH 3-1 WIN OVER DU
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. The Oct. 29 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.

LOOKING AHEAD
Following next Monday's contest hosting UH Hilo, the Urban Knights' regular season includes just two more home matches with Chaminade (Nov. 9) and Hawaii Pacific (Nov. 12) the final opponents remaining.