SAN FRANCISCO – Academy of Art women's basketball claimed its first Pacific West Conference victory of the season on Sunday afternoon inside Kezar Pavilion as a 14-2 run at the end of the opening quarter featuring their trademark balanced offense led the Urban Knights to their eventual 70-51 triumph over Chaminade.

"Today's game was a win that we needed to start the conference with confidence," said junior forward Yasmine Sifaoui said. "I feel like this game gave us the opportunity to start showing our personality as a team. Having everyone score and seeing how we shared the ball, it's really exciting personally and collectively too."

Though the Silverswords struck first just 13 seconds into the contest, the game's difference-making run came just six minutes later when sophomore guard Alba Rovira Ayuso got into the paint for a jumper then graduate student guard Briana Baker-Bruce and freshman guard Lucia Revenga followed suit. Junior forward/center Christy Ojide soon added a layup and, in the final 30 seconds of the quarter, graduate student guard Emilia Dougherty knocked down a 3-pointer to cap the 14-2 push which had ART U ahead 21-11 moving to the second frame.

Battling back in that quarter, Chaminade had the difference at five midway through, but Baker-Bruce and Revenga helped counter before another Ojide layup and a triple by freshman guard Maddie Morrow returned the margin to double digits at 37-26 heading to halftime.

The Silverswords came within five once again in the third quarter, but another Morrow 3-pointer and consecutive scores by Rovira Ayuso and Revenga denied their opponents any closer. Triples from Dougherty and freshman guard Anna Fornells began the fourth frame and the hot shooting from distance continued with senior guard Ashana Hinds and Rovira Ayuso adding on to keep the margin in the double digits on ART U's way to a 70-51 win.

"Extremely pleased with our balanced performance today," said Head Coach Jesse Clark. "Couldn't be more proud of the attention to our standards on both ends of the floor."

Improving to 2-6 overall and 1-1 in PacWest play, Academy of Art had each of its nine players score at least five points, but no more than 10 points with all but one competitor recording at least two rebounds as well. Sifaoui's team-high 10 points came with eight rebounds and two steals while three others, Morrow, Rovira Ayuso, and Fornells, had nine points apiece. Revenga turned in a complete stat line with eight points, eight rebounds, and five assists alongside Ojide's game-high and season-high 13 rebounds plus seven points.

Chaminade drops to 2-6 on the year and 0-3 in conference action despite 11 points from Ashley Holen in 15 minutes off the bench as well as nine points and 10 rebounds from Morgan Escobedo.

"Credit to Chaminade as they really challenged us with their ability to drive the ball and offensive rebound," Clark said. "This result was important for our team and our vision and goals for the season."

In six days' time, ART U will return to PacWest play, traveling to play Biola on Dec. 16 for a brief Southern California road trip.