SAN FRANCISCO – Following a hot start, Academy of Art volleyball found themselves in a Pacific West Conference battle with Hawaii Pacific on Saturday afternoon inside Kezar Pavilion. With crucial contributions all around such as three Urban Knights with double-digit kills and another four reaching double figures in digs, ART U pushed past the Sharks 3-2 (25-13, 25-23, 20-25, 20-25, 15-12) to sweep the season series.

"It feels good to get back in the win column after dropping a few games just outside of our reach," said Head Coach Mike Gomez. "It wasn't a pretty match and Hawaii Pacific certainly made us work for it but hats off to our team for finding the grit to navigate through adversity and take care of business at home."

Seven of the day's first 10 points were awarded to Academy of Art with sophomore libero/defensive specialist Kyriah Trefren delivering back-to-back service aces before junior right side/middle blocker Katherine Von Kraut and sophomore middle blocker/outside hitter Alohi Garcia authoring two kills apiece. The margin grew to 16-10 then the Knights turned up their intensity even further, scoring the final nine points as Von Kraut and graduate student middle blocker Chandra Reed repeatedly fortified the block to settle the opening set at 25-13.

Hawaii Pacific held a 10-7 advantage to begin the second frame, however, momentum soon shifted on a 10-4 run by ART U. Freshman outside hitter Kerrigan Habing sent down back-to-back kills to spark the surge and sophomore libero LC-Reece Nakagawa's service ace later put the home team in front 17-14. HPU retook the lead on six unanswered points thereafter, but an 8-3 push laced with Habing kills finished off the set 25-23 with Academy of Art now up 2-0 in the match.

The third set was closely contested with the 14th tie locking the teams at 18-18. Staying alive, the Sharks proceeded to execute a 7-2 burst that took them to the fourth set by way of a 25-20 final. There, seven straight early on elevated HPU to a 12-6 lead and, though ART U rallied back to within four points multiple times then just three at 23-20 on graduate student middle blocker/outside hitter Fina Tuinauvai and senior setter Elly McInerney's combined block, the visitors collected another 25-20 win to force a fifth set.

Knotted at 8-8 in the decisive frame, a difference-making three-point margin was created on Habing's kill, an attack error, and McInerney's service ace. With their 11-8 advantage now in hand, ART U traded points with the Sharks the rest of the way, scoring all points on kills by different Urban Knights including Habing, graduate student opposite Claire Ricard, Von Kraut, and sophomore outside hitter Paola Divis to end on a victorious note 15-12.

With the victory, Academy of Art improves to 4-10 overall and 3-3 in PacWest action. Habing's 15 kills led the way for the Urban Knights with Alohi Garcia (13) and Von Kraut (11) also reaching double figures. McInerney finished with 38 assists and 10 digs for her third consecutive double-double and fourth on the year. A season-high five blocks came from Reed, Nakagawa provided 13 digs, and Trefren delivered a season-best four service aces along with 12 digs, reaching double figures for the sixth time in 2024.

Hawaii Pacific drops to 1-11 on the season and 1-5 in conference play with the loss. Kate Allan led all hitters in the contest with 17 kills while adding 16 digs and Sofia Cooper ended one block shy of her own double-double with 10 kills plus nine blocks.

ART U moves into the second half of its six-match homestand next with its first look at Concordia on Wednesday, Oct. 9 at 6:30 p.m.