Match #18
ART U Urban Knights (5-12, 4-5 PacWest) vs. Menlo Oaks (5-11, 2-7 PacWest)
Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024 at 7 p.m.
Atherton, Calif. – Haynes-Prim Pavilion
Live Stats | Live Video

Match #19
ART U Urban Knights (5-12, 4-5 PacWest) vs. Fresno Pacific Sunbirds (10-6, 6-3 PacWest)
Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024 at 6:30 p.m.
San Francisco – Kezar Pavilion
Live Stats | Live Video

Match #20
ART U Urban Knights (5-12, 4-5 PacWest) vs. Jessup Warriors (6-8, 2-5 PacWest)
Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024 at 6:30 p.m.
San Francisco – Kezar Pavilion
Live Stats | Live Video

Match #21
ART U Urban Knights (5-12, 4-5 PacWest) vs. Menlo Oaks (5-11, 2-7 PacWest)
Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024 at 7 p.m.
San Francisco – Kezar Pavilion
Live Stats | Live Video

VOLLEYBALL CHALLENGES MENLO TWICE, REMATCHES FPU, JESSUP IN BETWEEN
Though its six-match homestand wrapped up this past weekend, Academy of Art volleyball does not have to go far for its Pacific West Conference road contest at Menlo this weekend before returning home to host a trio of rematches next week.

FIRST SERVE
The Urban Knights are set to face Menlo for the first time this season on Saturday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. inside Haynes-Prim Pavilion in Atherton then, back inside Kezar Pavilion for the next three matches, ART U hosts Fresno Pacific on Oct. 22 and Jessup on Oct. 24 both at 6:30 p.m. followed by a second time against Menlo on Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. 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
Each with six or more kills in the most recent pairing with No. 17 Point Loma, Academy of Art's trio of sophomore middle blocker/outside hitter Alohi Garcia (2.32), freshman outside hitter Kerrigan Habing (2.25), and graduate student opposite Claire Ricard (2.14) are the team's leaders in kills per set. Senior setter Elly McInerney ranks the highest of any Urban Knight in the PacWest in a singular stat category, averaging 7.81 assists per set (fifth in the conference) with up to 1,760 assists in her career (fourth in ART U history) as well as six double-doubles in 2024. Sophomore libero LC-Reece Nakagawa has totaled double-digit digs in 12 consecutive matches, putting her eighth in the PacWest at 3.83 digs per set in addition to delivering the ninth-most service aces per set (0.40). Graduate student middle blocker/outside hitter Fina Tuinauvai comes off back-to-back five-block performances, rising her to 0.76 blocks per set to pace the team with graduate student Chandra Reed's four straight outings of three or more blocks putting her second at 0.67 per set.

OAKTOBER MATCHUPS
Coming away from non-conference play with wins over Cal State Monterey Bay, Chico State, and UC Merced to four losses, Menlo was swept by Chaminade and UH Hilo in its first six PacWest matches, but did record victories over Hawaii Pacific and Vanguard. For a 5-11 Oaks squad that will face Dominican on Oct. 24 in between its matchups with ART U, Hannah Torres 3.27 kills per set (fourth in PacWest) lead the way while Paige Harmann checks in at seventh in the conference at 6.65 assists per set. This weekend will mark the first meeting to date between Academy of Art and Menlo.

RISING SUN(BIRDS)
After its Sept. 6 win over the Urban Knights, Fresno Pacific won five of its next seven matches, besting both Biola and Concordia in Southern California, and has since continued conference play with sweeps of Hawaii Pacific, Menlo, and Dominican against losses to Point Loma, Chaminade, and Vanguard. The 10-6 Sunbirds are set to host both Azusa Pacific (Oct. 18) and Westmont (Oct. 19) prior to next week's rematch with ART U. FPU ranks top five in the PacWest in kills (12.37), blocks (1.88), and points per set (15.85) plus hitting percentage (.205) with Madison Girnius' .351 clip (fourth in PacWest) and 0.91 blocks per set (seventh in PacWest) leading the way. Recent success for Fresno Pacific has them ahead of Academy of Art 22-3 in the historical matchup.

WEEKDAY WARRIORS
Jessup swept three matches in the Stan State Tournament following its Sept. 7 victory over ART U, but a challenging start to conference play has seen the Warriors fall to APU, FPU, Chaminade, UH Hilo, and PLNU with five-set wins coming over Menlo and CUI. At 6-8 overall, Jessup will take on Dominican (Oct. 19) ahead of its rematch with Academy of Art Madalyn Miller, who had 13 kills to lead the Warriors last time they met the Knights, can be found sixth in the PacWest at 3.05 kills per set while Alexis Kepa adds the conference's eighth-most assists per set (5.96). The win for Jessup earlier this season was their first to date versus ART U as Academy of Art leads the all-time series 4-1.

ART U SWIPES FIRST SET BEFORE #17 PLNU AUTHORS COMEBACK
Exploding out of the gate by out-hitting No. 17 Point Loma, Academy of Art volleyball went on a decisive run to secure the opening frame, but the Sea Lions countered in what would end as a 3-1 (26-28, 25-17, 25-16, 25-11) Pacific West Conference victory in their favor on Oct. 12 inside Kezar Pavilion.

LOOKING AHEAD
Playing the majority of its home matches in October, ART U once again hosts a busy week with Fresno Pacific (Oct. 22), Jessup (Oct. 24), and Menlo (Oct. 26) all coming to town.