SAN FRANCISCO – In the Pacific West Conference contest that featured Academy of Art volleyball's annual "Dig Pink" theme in honor of breast cancer awareness, it was Menlo who walked away with the 3-0 (25-18, 25-19, 25-21) inside Kezar Pavilion on Saturday.

Pink decorations and pre-match reflections from graduate student opposite Claire Ricard and senior setter Lina Ellilä set an appreciative tone early as the Urban Knights celebrated those who have overcome their battles with breast cancer.

After the evening opened with the Oaks gaining an 11-7 advantage on a 6-1 run, ART U began to regain some momentum during a three-point swing that featured a kill by graduate student middle blocker/outside hitter Fina Tuinauvai. Five points is as close as Academy of Art would come, however, with the two sides trading points en route to a 25-18 win for Menlo.

The visitors built a 15-9 margin at the start of the second set yet that difference shrunk on three consecutive scores by ART U including freshman outside hitter Kerrigan Habing's kill followed by a service ace from sophomore libero LC-Reece Nakagawa. From a 19-15 Oaks advantage, neither team was able to string together more than back-to-back points, leaving Menlo on top 25-19 at the end of the frame.

Sophomore middle blocker/outside hitter Alohi Garcia, Ricard, Habing, and Tuinauvai were among the Knights recording kills on Academy of Art's way to a 9-6 lead at the beginning of the third set, but Menlo would fight back to jump in front 13-11. Ricard then proceeded to do it all, connecting on three kills with one block assist and a service ace all in a seven-point span that put ART U up 16-15. The Knights held multiple two-point advantages thereafter, but a 20-18 score shifted Menlo's way down the stretch as a 7-1 close finalized the set and match at 25-21.

ART U moves to 5-16 overall and 4-9 in PacWest action this season with the evening's result. Each with eight kills on the night were Ricard and Alohi Garcia while Habing provided seven. Senior setter Elly McInerney finished with 16 assists and the tandem of Nakagawa and freshman libero/defensive specialist Kyriah Trefren combined for 25 digs.

Menlo, now 8-11 on the season and 5-7 in conference play, was led by Hannah Torres' 12 kills as well as 25 assists from Beatrice Manzon.

November will begin with Academy of Art in Southern California for a pair of matches against Biola (Nov. 1) and Westmont (Nov. 2) on back-to-back days.