BELMONT, Calif. – Facing a two-set deficit on Saturday back inside Walter Gleason Gym, Academy of Art volleyball resiliently fought all the way back to an eventual match point, but Concordia managed to rally for three scores to shift the result to their 3-2 (29-27, 25-21, 18-25, 18-25, 16-14) Pacific West Conference win. Among a bevy of standout performances, senior libero Isaura Santos' 39 digs broke the program's single-match record and graduate student outside hitter Maya McClellan led all Urban Knights with 23 kills.

After going back and forth to start (including an opening point with 15 attacks alone), the teams were tied 7-7 as CUI made a small move, but four straight kills by McClellan helped take ART U from down two to up 14-10. That lead would grow after a 6-1 push featuring service aces from Santos and freshman setter Ainsley Robare yet a 7-2 response made the opening set's late stages up for grabs. The Urban Knights had two opportunities at set point only to an eventual 29-27 result favoring the Eagles following two miscues.

Though a pair of kills from senior middle blocker Jillian Wheaton had Academy of Art up 6-3 to begin the second frame, an 8-1 push by Concordia elevated the visitors. Freshman middle blocker/right side Kaia Fittz, sophomore middle blocker Janaya Delone, and McClellan sent down consecutive kills as ART U soon retied the matchup 13-13 before a 6-1 CUI run created separation again. Four straight points including two on service aces by sophomore setter/defensive specialist Nina Garcia brought the Knights within one at 22-21, however, three kills from the Eagles gained them a 25-21 win and 2-0 sets advantage.

Not going without a fight, Academy of Art jumped in front 7-2 with three Santos service aces highlighting six unanswered points. ART U extended the lead on a 9-1 surge soon after as kills by graduate student outside hitter Amalie Rupertova, sophomore right side Katherine Von Kraut, and a pair back-to-back from Wheaton expanded the offensive attack. The Eagles would score four in a row during their comeback attempt, but trading points down the stretch favored the Knights before another Wheaton putaway sealed the 25-18 score keeping the home team alive.

Similarly to the third set, the fourth frame saw Academy of Art rattle off six consecutive scores as another service ace by Santos capped a 7-3 start. Five different ART U hitters swung for kills as the set continued eventually having the Knights on top 20-13 after junior setter Elly McInerney found Von Kraut for two Knights points. Taking five of the set's final seven points, Academy of Art used three Rupertova kills, one from Wheaton, and a big combined block by Von Kraut and Delone to prevail 25-18.

The squads traded points to commence the decisive fifth frame before the Eagles rose 8-4 only to be met with three straight ART U scores including a kill by Von Kraut. That became part of a 6-1 momentum shift that elevated the Knights to a 10-9 advantage. Four of the next five points went to CUI, but once again the Knights responded as Rupertova and McClellan's kills brought match point to Academy of Art at 14-13. In a stunning ending, Concordia put up two blocks then a kill to secure the set 16-14, taking the match in the process.

Academy of Art's first week of PacWest action has them now 1-10 overall and 0-2 in conference play. Leading the way offensively, McClellan posted season-highs of 23 kills (tied for 10th in program history) and 18 digs for her third double-double of the year while Rupertova also added her third double-double with 12 kills and a season-best 24 digs. Von Kraut was next with 11 kills, Wheaton finished with seven kills (hitting .462) plus four block assists, McInerney's second double-double of the season featured 28 assists and 12 digs, and Robare collected a season-high 24 assists.

Santos' 39 digs, the most in ART U history among five-set matches, surpassed Kanoe Irvine's all-time record of 38 set against Notre Dame de Namur back on Nov. 15, 2014. Additionally, Santos registered six service aces to tie Leinani Keanini's program record for a five-set match. As a team, the Knights' 14 service aces were one shy of the Academy of Art record for all matches and, in a five-set match, their collective 113 digs settle in at third historically (tied for fourth in all matches).

In its second of three matches in three days, Concordia improves to 5-4 overall and 2-0 in PacWest play. Kirra Schulz ended with a match-high 27 kills to go with 19 digs.

It will be nearly a full week before ART U is back in action as the Urban Knights' Hawaii roadtrip begins Friday, Sept. 16 at Chaminade with first serve set for 7 p.m. HT (10 p.m. PT).