SAN FRANCISCO – In its first Pacific West Conference matchup with one of three Hawaii schools this week, Academy of Art volleyball fell to Hawaii Pacific 3-0 (27-25, 25-22, 25-15) on Wednesday evening.
Rallying back from a small 12-9 deficit in what became a see-saw first set, the Urban Knights got a big block from the middle blocker tandem of junior
Sadie Emery and freshman
Kylie Lenberg before back-to-back kills by junior outside hitter
Ashley Pawlak finished a 5-1 run to give ART U the lead. Academy of Art soon rattled off six of eight points, two on consecutive service aces from junior middle blocker
Carly Evetts, bringing them to a 21-19 advantage. Each team had their opportunities to make one final move and though a kill by Evetts made the score 25-25, the Sharks notched the final two points for a 27-25 result.
Two-point runs dotted the early portion of the second set before a 6-2 push by the Knights got them a 14-10 lead. HPU responded with a major momentum shift, however, scoring nine of 11 points to gain a 22-18 margin of their own. Junior outside hitter
Mariana Figueroa Ferriera dropped a pair of kills to initiate a comeback, but time ran out and the Sharks prevailed 25-22.Â
ART U fought out of a deficit early in the third frame, relying on offense from a variety of sources, but after Pawlak's kill made it 17-13, Hawaii Pacific executed a 6-0 run that put the match out of reach. HPU secured the 25-15 victory as the night concluded.
Wednesday's results put Academy of Art at 4-9 on the season and 2-4 in PacWest play. Sharing the team lead with nine kills apiece were Figueroa Ferriera and Emery while sophomore setter
Picabo Reinhold had 25 assists, but finished three digs shy of a double-double. Junior libero
Michaela Charrette amassed a match-high 15 digs.
With its fourth consecutive victory, Hawaii Pacific became 8-5 overall and 4-2 in conference. Cameryn Collie ended with 13 kills plus 10 digs to lead the Sharks.
A quick turnaround has ART U hosting UH Hilo tomorrow evening at 7 p.m. back inside Kezar Pavilion. The Vulcans swept Holy Names on Wednesday, staying undefeated through three matches of its Northern California roadtrip.
