Match #19
ART U Urban Knights (2-16, 1-10 PacWest) vs. Azusa Pacific Cougars (10-8, 7-3 PacWest)
Friday, October 20, 2023 at 3 p.m.
San Francisco – Kezar Pavilion
Live Stats | Live Video

Match #20
ART U Urban Knights (2-16, 1-10 PacWest) vs. Point Loma Sea Lions (13-4, 10-0 PacWest)
Saturday, October 21, 2023 at 2 p.m.
San Francisco – Kezar Pavilion
Live Stats | Live Video

Match #21
ART U Urban Knights (2-16, 1-10 PacWest) vs. Concordia Golden Eagles (9-8, 5-4 PacWest)
Monday, October 23, 2023 at 5 p.m.
San Francisco – Kezar Pavilion
Live Stats | Live Video

REMATCHES WITH APU, PLNU, CUI ON HORIZON FOR ART U
Ready to return for another homestand, Academy of Art volleyball gets set to face three of the Pacific West Conference's Southern California schools over an upcoming four-day span.

FIRST SERVE
The Urban Knights will be inside Kezar Pavilion for their next three matches as Azusa Pacific is first up on Friday, Oct. 20 at 3 p.m. followed by Point Loma less than 24 hours later on Saturday, Oct. 21 at 2 p.m. Next week then begins with Academy of Art hosting Concordia on Monday, Oct. 23 at 5 p.m. 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
One of just four student-athletes in the PacWest to average 3.60 kills per set or higher, graduate student outside hitter/right side Maya McClellan is up to third in the conference with a 3.62 average while adding the fourth-highest points per set mark (4.13). She carries nine double-doubles into this weekend and comes off her second four-block performance of the year. McClellan (3.14) joins graduate student outside hitter Amalie Rupertova (3.03) as two of ART U's six student-athletes to average over 3.00 kills per set in a career as Rupertova ranks second on the squad at 2.62 kills per set this season. Logging 20 or more assists in 12 of her 17 matches played this season, junior setter Elly McInerney has elevated up to third in the PacWest 5.89 assists per set as well as fifth in program career history (1,071). Freshman libero LC-Reece Nakagawa had her streak of consecutive matches with double-digit digs stopped at seven, but she remains seventh in the PacWest at 3.49 digs per set.

CLASHING WITH THE COUGARS
Since its victory over ART U in mid-September, Azusa Pacific has gone 6-3 with three of its wins coming most recently heading into a Thursday matchup with Dominican ahead of the rematch with Academy of Art. The Cougars, who won twice on their Hawaii roadtrip and in five sets over Concordia as well as Fresno Pacific last week, rank second in the PacWest at 2.32 blocks per set as the trio of Kyra Palmbush (1.16, fourth), Mackenzie Jensen (1.00, fifth), and Kendyl Macaskill (0.90, seventh) are all among the conference leaders while Annaka Jorgenson comes in at fourth in the PacWest in kills per set (3.60). APU leads the all-time series with the Knights 13-3.

ROAR OF THE SEA LIONS
Point Loma received 25 votes in the latest AVCA DII National Poll and the Sea Lions have yet to lose since the start of conference play. The Sea Lions win over Academy of Art on Sept. 16 was one of 10 consecutive PacWest matches they have won heading into a Friday contest at Dominican. Impressively, PLNU is first in the conference in hitting percentage (.252), kills per set (13.48), and blocks per set (2.47, ninth in NCAA Division II) while trailing only Chaminade in points (17.48) and assists per set (12.08). Anna Massari's 1.27 blocks per set not only lead the PacWest, but are 10th in NCAA DII and she (.352) is just one spot back of conference leader and teammate, Torina Hommes (.375) in terms of hitting percentage while Abigail Nua checks in at second in the PacWest with 3.73 kills per set. Point Loma holds a 17-1 lead historically versus ART U.

CUE CUI: PART TWO
Up against the Knights for the second time in 10 days, Concordia defeated Dominican one day after topping Academy of Art in Southern California, marking the fourth time the Golden Eagles have won back-to-back matches this season. CUI, who plays Dominican this Sunday, ranks first in the conference in digs per set (15.89) as well as third in kills (12.60) and assists (11.63) per set plus hitting percentage (.230). Kirra Schulz posted 17 kills in the first meeting with ART U and continues to lead the PacWest in kills per set (3.83). The historical matchup favors the Golden Eagles 11-2 over the Knights.

VOLLEYBALL SHOWS TOUGH BLOCK DSPITE WARRIORS' 3-1 WIN
Academy of Art volleyball took the court for the second time in two days and, in a bit of déjà vu, the Urban Knights were victorious in the second set, but Westmont emerged from the Oct. 14 Pacific West Conference rematch inside Murchison Gymnasium as 3-1 (25-23, 24-26, 25-17, 25-21) winners.

LOOKING AHEAD
With its second homestand of the season complete, ART U will be on the road for its next five matches, beginning with a trip to Fresno Pacific on Oct. 27 to close the month's action.