SAN FRANCISCO – Although Academy of Art University volleyball gained a two-set lead and was up early in the fifth set, it was Fresno Pacific who ended up coming all the way back to win 3-2 (22-25, 25-21, 22-25, 25-21, 15-13) on Friday night inside Kezar Pavilion. A career-high 23 kills from senior outside hitter
Bailey Soolsma was not enough as a 13-6 blocking advantage helped the Sunbirds secure several crucial points.
No more than three points separated the teams in the first set and, although the score was tied at times early on, the Urban Knights never relinquished the lead they established at the start. FPU came within one point at 21-20 before a pair of kills from Soolsma temporarily fended off the visitors. She added one more slam and a service ace to help ART U complete the 25-22 set victory.
Fresno Pacific's 5-1 start to set two later expanded to an 18-10 margin, but Academy of Art fought back with a 4-1 run and another stretch of four unanswered points. Kills by redshirt junior middle blocker
Safua Elisaia and senior middle blocker
Margaret Winkler initiated a comeback that fell just a few points short with the Sunbirds evening the match after a 25-21 final.
Though an 8-4 opening to the third set once again favored FPU, the Knights surged back with a 7-0 run to establish a 19-15 lead. Soolsma delivered three kills in the heart of the run and Academy of Art never looked back. Soon, Winkler and Soolsma combined for a huge block to force set point at 24-20 and Soolsma finished off the 25-22 set moments later.
Kills by Soolsma, sophomore setter
Lilika Teu, and Elisaia all came during a push that saw ART U go ahead 8-5 at the start of the fourth set, but the Sunbirds' own 7-0 rebuttal gave them an advantage they would not let go of the rest of the way. The Knights came to within two points on multiple occasions down the stretch, but after a kill by freshman outside hitter
Kimiah Johnson, FPU snagged the final two points to end the set 25-21.
Sophomore middle blocker
Jennifer Argelander and freshman middle blocker
Sadie Emery teamed up for two emphatic blocks during a 7-1 opening to the fifth set. However, a 5-0 response helped Fresno Pacific come all the way back to tie the frame 10-10. The teams traded points to 13-13, but a kill and Knights attack error were the late difference to end the set 15-13 and the match with FPU on top.
ART U drops to 3-9 on the year and 0-5 in the PacWest. Soolsma matched her career-high with 23 kills, adding nine digs and three service aces as well. Johnson delivered 14 kills while the middle blocker tandem of Elisaia and Argelander had eight kills each and combined for five blocks. Teu went for a career-high six kills with no errors and contributed 44 assists plus nine digs. Freshman libero
Ashley Pawlak amassed a team-high 20 digs.
Fresno Pacific improves to 4-9 overall and 4-2 in conference play. Gabriela Macedo delivered a team-high 17 kills and Madison Pierce added nine blocks.
The Southern California pod of the PacWest Conference is next up for Academy of Art. After No. 7 California Baptist on Wednesday, Oct. 4, the Urban Knights will face Azusa Pacific on Oct. 5 then Point Loma (Oct. 7) to finish the week.
