SAN FRANCISCO – At home for the first time this season, Academy of Art volleyball nearly upset No. 6 Chaminade in multiple sets on Sunday, taking one in the process, but the Silverswords managed to come away 3-1 (25-23, 25-18, 23-25, 25-14) victors in the first Pacific West Conference matchup of the two teams in 2024.

Neither side led by more than three points throughout the entirety of the opening frame as a 5-1 push by CUH was met by a 4-1 ART U response that featured sophomore middle blocker/outside hitter Alohi Garcia's solo block and sophomore libero LC-Reece Nakagawa's service ace. Two more Nakagawa aces followed a kill from graduate student middle blocker Chandra Reed during a 6-1 surge that took the Urban Knights from down two points to up two at 19-17. After trading scores for a stretch thereafter, the 23-23 tie was turned in Chaminade's favor 25-23 on back-to-back kills.

Several ties in the early portion of the second set eventually yielded a two-point advantage for Academy of Art at 14-12 with two kills from graduate student middle blocker/outside hitter Fina Tuinauvai highlighting a 7-3 move. Six unanswered by the Silverswords, however, returned their lead and they used that momentum toward a two-set margin on the 25-18 result.

Up 7-4 on kills by three different Urban Knights including junior right side/middle blocker Katherine Von Kraut, the Knights later battled back with six of eight points to go up 17-15. The sides would literally trade singular scores the rest of the way until Alohi Garcia sent down the 25-23 kill that gave the home team its first set victory.

A 13-6 margin for Chaminade opened the fourth set and that difference would grow to double digits. Kills from Tuinauvai and sophomore outside hitter Paola Divis kept ART U alive, but ultimately the Silverswords ended the afternoon at 25-14.

Now 3-9 overall and 2-2 in conference play, Academy of Art was led offensively by Alohi Garcia's 11 kills with Tuinauvai and Reed each adding eight apiece. Tuinauvai did not commit an error, hitting a season-best .571 with four blocks. Senior setter Elly McInerney posted her second double-double of the season with 28 assists and 12 digs and Nakagawa offered her second-highest dig total of the year with 20 plus three service aces.

Chaminade's third straight victory puts the Silverswords at 10-3 on the year and yet to fall in PacWest action through three contests. Anna Stucchi finished with a match-high 12 kills while Grace Talpash produced a double-double with 41 assists and 12 digs.

The second matchup in ART U's current six-match homestand features a rematch with UH Hilo this Tuesday, Oct. 1 at 6:30 p.m.