SAN FRANCISCO – Hosting Point Loma on Friday night, Academy of Art volleyball nearly matched the Sea Lions in kills, but ended up dropping a 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 26-24) result inside Kezar Pavilion. In every set, the Urban Knights pushed their opponent with a 9-2 run at the end of the third, but it came too late as PLNU was able to hold on in the Pacific West Conference contest. Three ART U student-athletes posted double-digit kills led by junior middle blocker Sadie Emery who matched her career-high with 11 for the second consecutive outing.

With one point separating the teams at 14-13, Point Loma made its first significant move with a 4-0 run that was answered by a 6-2 push from Academy of Art. Emery put down two kills during that stretch and soon junior middle blocker Carly Evetts added her own pair to keep things close at 22-21. A kill then back-to-back blocks, however, enabled the Sea Lions to snag the opening set 25-21.

Following a similar trend, the second frame shifted from a slim 11-10 lead for PLNU into a 19-12 margin, but the Knights would not go easily. Junior outside hitter Ashley Pawlak's kill sparked a 4-1 surge that included two more put-aways for Emery, making it 22-17. The Sea Lions once again owned the final three points, giving them a 25-17 win and a 2-0 advantage.

A 9-2 momentum shift in the early portion of the third set put Point Loma in the driver's seat up 14-8, but Evetts soon enjoyed a stretch of three kills in four ART U points to cut the margin to three at 18-15. Though PLNU pushed the envelope with a 4-0 run thereafter, Academy of Art subsequently played some of its best volleyball of the night, executing a 9-2 rebuttal with multiple kills from Emery, sophomore outside hitter Celena Davison, and junior outside hitter Mariana Figueroa Ferriera. After defending against one set point, the Knights were unable to do it once more as the Sea Lions offered two last kills to end it 26-24.

Officially halfway through its eight-match homestand, Academy of Art moves to 4-7 overall and 2-2 in PacWest play. Three Urban Knights posted double-digit kills led by Emery's aforementioned second straight match tying her career-high with 11. Pawlak and Evetts each had 10 kills and sophomore setter Picabo Reinhold paired 34 assists with 10 digs for her eighth double-double of the season. Junior libero Catharina Brant Bambirra walked away with a team-high 16 digs.

Point Loma rises above .500 with its sixth win in 11 matches plus a 2-1 conference record. Madie Fox ended with a match-high 14 kills while PacWest Preseason Setter of the Year Cara Keturakis amassed 33 assists and 10 digs.

ART U hosts Azusa Pacific tomorrow back inside Kezar Pavilion with first serve set for 3 p.m.