Match #25
ART U Urban Knights (8-16, 5-11 PacWest) vs. Concordia Eagles (17-6, 12-4 PacWest)
Friday, November 12, 2021 at 5 p.m.
Belmont, Calif. – Walter Gleason Gym
Live Stats & Live Video

Match #26
ART U Urban Knights (8-16, 5-11 PacWest) vs. Biola Eagles (17-7, 13-3 PacWest)
Saturday, November 13, 2021 at 1 p.m.
Belmont, Calif. – Walter Gleason Gym
Live Stats & Live Video

FIVE URBAN KNIGHTS TO COMPETE IN FINAL COLLEGIATE HOME GAMES
Returning to the Bay Area from their Pacific West Conference Hawaii roadtrip, Academy of Art volleyball is set to host one last pair of contests this season. Friday rematches ART U and Concordia then a Senior Day ceremony honoring defensive specialist Catharina Brant Bambirra, setter Picabo Reinhold, outside hitter Celena Davison, opposite Kiersten Kerch, and middle blocker/opposite Sadie Emery comes ahead of the Urban Knights' second meeting with Biola.

FIRST SERVE
Slightly different start times are on tap for Academy of Art's next two matches with a 5 p.m. serve set for Friday's rematch with Concordia and a 1 p.m. beginning to Saturday's pairing with Biola. Both contests will take place inside Walter Gleason Gym in Belmont. Remember to follow @ARTU_Knights via the athletics app (Apple App Store, Google Play Store) and on Twitter & Instagram, as well as "Like" the Urban Knights on Facebook for score updates, videos, and recaps.

KNIGHT WATCH
Currently seventh in the PacWest standings with a 5-11 conference record, Academy of Art has maintained its two best statistical categories as assists per set (12.13, third in PacWest) and kills per set (12.94, fifth in PacWest). The career records watch continues for junior setter Picabo Reinhold who just moved up to second ART U history in assists (2,710), fourth in service aces (90), and ninth in digs (746) all while ranking second in the PacWest with 10.72 assists per set (20th in NCAA DII) this season.

One match removed from a career-high 22-kill performance, freshman outside hitter Ashley Mecham is up to seventh in the conference with 3.21 kills per set (first among freshmen) while junior outside hitter Isaura Santos checks in at ninth with 3.00 kills per set. Though her streak of consecutive double-doubles recently ended at five, Mecham now has 14 on the year following six straight contests with double-digit digs.

Junior middle blocker Jillian Wheaton remains the ART U leader in hitting percentage (.270) and has maintained her hold on the highest percentage for a career at .327. She is also up to fourth in Knights history in career block solos (29), sixth in career total blocks (194), and ninth in career block assists (165). Still with the ninth-most digs per set (4.33) in the conference is freshman libero Elena Torres who now has double-digit digs in 21 of her 23 matches played this fall.

FLIGHT OF THE CONCORD(IA)
After defeating ART U in Irvine on Oct. 22, Concordia rattled off five wins (all sweeps) in its next six matches with the lone loss coming to Chaminade. With its nine-match homestand complete, the Eagles begin a three-part road swing this Friday against the Knights. Leading the CUI squad ranked third in the PacWest in hitting percentage (.226) is the tandem of Hannah Tostado (.354, second in PacWest) and Jalyssa Sanchez (.344, T3rd in PacWest) while Kirra Schulz paces the team at 3.17 kills per set (eighth in PacWest). With the win over Academy of Art earlier this year, Concordia is just 1-2 in its last three meetings with the Knights, but leads the all-time series 7-2.

BU ROUND TWO
Biola's victory versus ART U on Oct. 21 began an eight-game win streak for the Eagles which includes four straight sweeps heading into BU's Nov. 12 matchup with Fresno Pacific prior to Saturday. As a team, Biola ranks third in the conference with 2.06 blocks per set and fourth at 13.05 kills per set with Madison Beebe's 3.54 kills per set (second in PacWest) leading the way. BU holds a 6-0 all-time record against the Knights.

PACWEST REMATCH GOES SHARKS' WAY OVER KNIGHTS IN HONOLULU
Meeting for the second time this season on Nov. 7, Academy of Art volleyball determinedly fended off Hawaii Pacific for a match-evening second set victory, but the home team would prevail inside their own Shark Tank 3-1 (25-23, 23-25, 25-10, 25-16) when the final point was recorded.

LOOKING AHEAD
Though its 2021 home season will be complete after this week, the Urban Knights will be in action twice more when they visit Holy Names in Oakland on Nov. 19 and Dominican in San Rafael on Nov. 20.