SAN FRANCISCO – Academy of Art volleyball spent Wednesday evening honoring its senior class of setter Lina Ellilä, setter/defensive specialist Nina Garcia, opposite Claire Ricard, middle blocker Chandra Reed, right side Sofia Stemberga, and setter Elly McInerney in a special pre-match ceremony before coming out on top in a thrilling first set. Dominican, however, would come back to earn the 3-1 (23-25, 25-22, 25-17, 25-18) Pacific West Conference victory as ART U hung tough inside Kezar Pavilion for one last time this season.

Fresh off their festivities, all six Senior Night honorees entered the starting lineup and it was McInerney who sent down the first two kills to the delight of the season's largest crowd. Up 12-10 after a 5-2 push that saw Ricard and Reed connect for kills while Garcia delivered her 72nd career service ace, the Urban Knights battled back against the Penguins with four unanswered points thereafter. With four kills from junior right side/middle blocker Katherine Von Kraut, two more from Reed, and an Ellilä service ace, ART U was able to secure the opening set 25-23.

The Knights' 5-0 surge midway through the second frame began with a kill from graduate student middle blocker/outside hitter Fina Tuinauvai then saw two off the hand of Ricard, but Dominican rallied back to force multiple ties. The last of those came during a 7-2 burst to end the set in the visitors' favor 25-22.

Runs of 5-0 and 6-1 enabled the Penguins to move in front 18-12 in the third frame and, after the sides exchanged points the rest of the way, it was Dominican up 2-1 in sets following the 25-17 result. Redshirt sophomore middle blocker Zoe Arnold struck for two kills between a pair from sophomore middle blocker/outside hitter Alohi Garcia to start the fourth set yet two more momentum-shifting rallies got the Penguins ahead 20-12. Tuinauvai authored multiple put-aways down the stretch, however, the contest was ended on a 25-18 score.

Moving to 6-19 overall and 5-12 in conference play, Academy of Art's diversified offense had five Knights with seven or more kills as Von Kraut's 10 led the way. Reed finished with nine kills to just one error (.364), the tandem of Tuinauvai and Alohi Garcia had eight kills apiece (Garcia added a career-high 12 digs), and Ricard provided seven kills. The pair of McInerney and Ellilä amassed 23 assists each while sophomore libero LC-Reece Nakagawa delivered a season-best 25 digs to lead all competitors.

The win puts Dominican at 4-18 this year and 3-13 against PacWest opponents. Regan Macha offered a match-high 12 kills plus 12 digs to pace the Penguins.

On the road for the remainder of the season, ART U will next rematch Fresno Pacific this Saturday, Nov. 16 at 2 p.m.