Box Score

Photo Gallery (images by Rob Garcia)

Oakland, CA -- A week after facing one of the top teams in the nation, the Urban Knights task didn't get any easier, facing a new team that has rocketed right to the top of the PacWest standings in Holy Names. Academy of Art had their stretches of success, but the Hawks continued their season statement against their Bay Bridge rivals, taking three close sets from ART U by scores of 23-25, 22-25, and 22-25.

"Holy Names played well tonight," said head coach Ed Jackson. "I didn't feel that we executed like we know that we can, but they played a good game and you have to tip your cap to them."

The Urban Knights came out strong against the Hawks, taking advantage of some inconsistent play from the Hawks to start off the match. The Knights went on a 6-0 run to tie the game up at 9-9 that included four errors by Holy Names. The first set stayed close throughout, indicative of how the whole match would be, as the Knights tied it up again at 19-19 on a kill by Taylor Suchy, one of her team-leading 11 kills in the match. But the Hawks pulled away in the end to win the first set 25-23.

The Knights struggled in the second set, hitting only .062 but still almost pulling off the set victory. Lindsay Elgin got the scoring started and the Knights built a 12-7 lead at one point, but the Hawks came back to tie the game at 15-15 before taking the lead. ART U did fight back, staving off three game points to make it 24-22, but a kill by Siera Taylor sealed the second set for Holy Names.

Holy Names took charge in the third set as well, jumping out to a 12-5 lead before the Urban Knights once again came back into the mix. A 7-0 run capped off by back-to-back kills from Suchy actually gave the Knights a 19-17 lead, but HNU tied at 20-20, and again at 22-22 and 23-23 before Rachel Vartanian finished off the Knights with a kill down the line.

The Knights will have a day off on Thursday before playing on Friday at Dominican, the deciding matchup between the two teams, and Saturday at Notre Dame de Namur in the first matchup between ART U and NDNU since November of last year.