BELMONT, Calif. – Despite playing some of their best volleyball of the year in the first set, Academy of Art wound up falling to Notre Dame de Namur 3-1 (9-25, 25-18, 25-18, 25-19) to start Pacific West Conference play inside Walter Gleason Gym on Friday night. Six of seven Urban Knights got their hands in at least part of a block as the team went for a season-best 12.0 rejections.

"I felt that, in the first set, our front row did a very good job with their eye work," said head coach Ray Batalon. "They were able to hone in on Notre Dame's setter and read her well."

It was a dominant start to ART U's conference season as three consecutive blocks set the tone following the first point of the match. Senior middle blocker Margaret Winkler defended alongside teammates in each and soon a 7-0 surge ensued. Four different Knights had kills in that stretch including a pair from freshman outside hitter Ashley Pawlak. From up 14-3, Academy of Art briefly traded points briefly before sophomore setter Lilika Teu's two aces and Winkler's two kills highlighted eight unanswered points to finish the set 25-9.

Bouncing back from a first set loss on their home floor, NDNU quickly got on top 10-3 in the second set. The frame would see-saw and the Knights came within four points at 23-18 after another Teu ace, but the end result was the Argos evening the match on a 25-18 victory.

Returning to the side where they had early success, ART U went back on the offensive, scoring five straight points to open the third set before moving up 7-1. Pawlak had three kills in that initial run and her points continued to increase as Academy of Art tried to hold off the home team. It was not to be as Notre Dame de Namur tied it 10-10 and, later from 18-18, seven consecutive points by the Argos earned them the win 25-18.

Another early advantage came for NDNU in the fourth set, but the Knights fought back to within two at 10-8. A brief 4-0 push thereafter ended up being the difference. ART U worked to within four at 23-19, but the Argos got the necessary points for the 25-19 final and the match.

Academy of Art is now 2-5 on the year and starts PacWest play 0-1. The Knights' 12.0 total blocks were the most this season and tied for the sixth most in all of the program's previous four-set matches. Winkler finished with a team-best four blocks with five kills while redshirt junior middle blocker Safua Elisaia contributed 2.5 blocks plus six kills. Pawlak led the team with 14 kills plus 12 digs for her third double-double of the season, Johnson had seven kills to go with 11 digs, and Teu finished with 29 assists.

Notre Dame de Namur moves to 6-3 with a 1-0 conference record. Though she led the team, PacWest Player of the Week Bianca Alvarez hit just .214 with 15 kills and 10 digs.

ART U turns around and hosts Dominican tomorrow, Sept. 16, inside Kezar Pavilion at 7 p.m.

"As for tomorrow, we need to create more scoring opportunities for ourselves," said Batalon. "I felt our team was trying too hard at times and we missed out on a number of scoring opportunities that NDNU took advantage of. Dominican will be a similar type team and we'll need to make sure that we take care of our side tomorrow."