Match #24
ART U Urban Knights (5-18, 4-10 PacWest) vs. Fresno Pacific Sunbirds (12-7, 11-3 PacWest)
Saturday, October 29, 2022 at 2 p.m.
Belmont, Calif. – Walter Gleason Gym
Live Stats & Live Video
ART U WELCOMES FPU FOR FINAL HOME MATCH OF OCTOBER
After sweeping the season series against Dominican with a win to start this week, Academy of Art volleyball now turns its attention to a Pacific West Conference rematch with Fresno Pacific this Saturday for its "Dig Pink" match as ART U recognizes breast cancer awareness.
FIRST SERVE
Closing out the month of October, the match between the Urban Knights and Sunbirds is set to begin at 2 p.m. this Saturday, Oct. 29 inside Walter Gleason Gym. 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
Only Academy of Art and Point Loma now have a pair of hitters within the PacWest's top nine individuals with the most points per set. Graduate student outside hitters
Amalie Rupertova (3.68) and
Maya McClellan (3.36) are fifth and ninth respectively with Rupertova's 3.25 kills per set sixth in the conference and McClellan's 2.86 kills per set not far behind in eighth. After each posted a double-double to add to their 14 combined total, McClellan's digs per set average is up to 2.73 while Rupertova's checks in at 2.54 (both among the top three on the team).
After registering 45 assists (three from her season-high) in ART U's win over Dominican, junior setter
Elly McInerney remains sixth in the conference in assists per set (6.18), logging 22 or more in each of her last four matches while senior libero
Isaura Santos sits fourth in the PacWest at 3.87 digs per set, having registered double-digit digs in 13 of her 19 matches played. Following her three service aces against DU, sophomore defensive specialist
Nina Garcia is back inside the PacWest's top 10 at 0.36 service aces per set.
Continuing to make her way up the program's career block ranks slowly but surely, senior middle blocker
Jillian Wheaton, who is averaging a team-high 0.70 blocks per set, is currently fourth in total blocks (242), fifth in block assists (203, four from passing Lindsay Elgin's 206), and second only to career leader Amy Bush in block solos (39, five from a new record).
BIRDS OF A FEATHER BLOCK TOGETHER
Fresno Pacific's victory hosting ART U on Sept. 24 started a four-match win streak and, though the Sunbirds dropped three of their next four thereafter, FPU has since defeated Azusa Pacific and Dominican heading into this weekend's rematch. Hanging their hats on tough defense at the net, Fresno Pacific ranks second in the PacWest at 2.14 blocks per set with Chloe Melis' 1.18 rejections per set pacing the conference. FPU's leader in kills per set is Makena Ogas (2.72) while Madison Girnius ranks ninth with a .248 hitting percentage. First meeting in 2012, the Sunbirds are 18-3 historically versus the Knights.
ACADEMY OF ART SWEEPS SEASON SERIES WITH 3-1 WIN OVER DU
Even with Dominican through the first two sets, Academy of Art finished strong, collectively hitting .400 in the final set of a 3-1 (25-21, 20-25, 25-22, 25-23) victory over the Penguins inside Conlan Center on
Oct. 27. ART U was led by a match-high 20 kills from graduate student outside hitter
Amalie Rupertova while graduate student outside hitter
Maya McClellan added her eighth double-double of the season with 16 kills and 12 digs.
LOOKING AHEAD
For its final roadtrip of the season, ART U will return to Southern California for rematches with Azusa Pacific (Nov. 3) and Biola (Nov. 4).
