AZUSA, Calif. – All three sets followed a similar script Thursday night as Academy of Art volleyball was either tied or one point back of Azusa Pacific in the first half before the home team executed momentum-shifting runs toward a 3-0 (25-16, 25-20, 25-13) result inside Felix Event Center.

Though the Pacific West Conference rematch began with APU going up 8-2, the Urban Knights responded with an 8-1 surge that featured multiple kills from senior middle blocker Jillian Wheaton. The lead was exchanged briefly before sophomore right side Katherine Von Kraut sent down a kill to make it 13-13. From there, however, Azusa Pacific unleashed a 14-4 response which earned them the 25-16 win.

A 5-1 start to the second set was powered by various sources as Von Kraut and freshman middle blocker/right side Kaia Fittz combined for a block, graduate student outside hitters Maya McClellan and Amalie Rupertova delivered a service ace then a kill respectively, and Fittz swung for a kill as well. APU would answer with five straight points and soon back-and-forth action had things tied up at 11-11 then again at 16-16 following a service ace from sophomore setter/defensive specialist Nina Garcia. Like the opening stanza, the Cougars then rattled off five consecutive points and soon secured the set 25-20.

Two kills from McClellan helped ART U get ahead 5-3 out of the gate in the third frame, but the home team would establish an 11-7 advantage thereafter. Rupertova keyed a brief run with her kill followed immediately by a solo block to bring her team within one point at 11-10, but the Knights came no closer after a 9-1 push separated APU once more, leading the Cougars to finish the sweep by a 25-13 set score.

Academy of Art, now 5-20 overall and 4-12 in PacWest play, was led by Rupertova's 10 kills plus 11 digs for her seventh double-double of the season. Von Kraut hit .368 with just one error to her eight kills while McClellan added six kills with 10 digs. Junior setter Elly McInerney finished with 22 assists along with eight digs and freshman libero Ainsley Robare contributed a team-high 14 digs.

The Urban Knights' final road match of the season takes place in less than 24 hours as ART U is set to face Biola in La Mirada on Friday at 5 p.m.