LA MIRADA, Calif. – Academy of Art closed out its final roadtrip of the season with some of its best volleyball all year, sweeping Biola 3-0 (25-17, 25-21, 25-14) inside Chase Gymnasium on Friday night. Sophomore right side Katherine Von Kraut's 10 kills led a trio of Urban Knights with nine or more kills as ART U hit .625 in the third set alone, contributing to its highest hitting percentage (.337) thus far in 2022.

Graduate student outside hitter Amalie Rupertova came out of the gate swinging as she sent down two kills to open the contest then freshman middle blocker/right side Kaia Fittz recorded a block solo while Academy of Art built a 6-1 lead. Service aces from sophomore setter/defensive specialist Nina Garcia and Rupertova helped keep the margin at five or more points before the Eagles mounted a comeback approaching the opening set's final third. Already ahead 17-14, the Knights proceeded to rattle off five unanswered scores including three kills from graduate student outside hitter Maya McClellan. In the end, it was Von Kraut and McClellan's combined block that punctuated the 25-17 result for ART U.

Biola miscues came early in the second frame, but the score was repeatedly tied up until a 14-14 deadlock. There, Fittz connected on a kill, Rupertova added two more, and Garcia delivered another service ace to put the Knights ahead 20-14. BU made things interesting, coming all the way back to within one point at 22-21, but Academy of Art shut the door on back-to-back kills by Von Kraut then finished the 25-21 win on a service ace from junior setter Elly McInerney.

Von Kraut continued to thrive, posting two more kills as ART U began the third set up 5-2. Senior middle blocker Jillian Wheaton's kill then sparked a 6-1 run which allowed the visitors to double up Biola 12-6. The Eagles would come no closer than three points because an 10-2 surge with kills from four different Knights emphatically closed out the 25-14 victory and the evening's sweep.

Academy of Art improves to 6-20 overall and 4-12 in PacWest play with its first victory to date over Biola. Von Kraut's 10 kills marked her eighth time reaching double figures and she would add two blocks as well while the tandem of McClellan and Rupertova each registered nine kills apiece and combined for 15 digs. Wheaton posted five kills with no errors for a .556 hitting percentage. Deftly orchestrating the offense, McInerney finished with 27 assists plus three service aces, Garcia provided three aces of her own with seven digs, and freshman libero Ainsley Robare amassed seven digs as well.

Taking just its second home loss in nine matches inside Chase Gymnasium, Biola move to 15-10 on the season and 12-6 against conference opponents. No Eagle had more than seven kills, a total achieved by both Madison Beebe and Anna Aubele.

With its road schedule now complete, ART U returns home for a final week hosting the three PacWest Hawaii schools starting with UH Hilo on Nov. 7 at 6:30 p.m.