SAN RAFAEL, Calif. – Posting a strong block and consistent defense around it, Academy of Art volleyball rallied back from an initial deficit against Dominican to win 3-1 (22-25, 31-29, 25-20, 25-16) as part of Saturday's fall season finale inside the Conlan Center. Freshman outside hitter Katherine Von Kraut led the Urban Knights with a match-high 15 kills while each of ART U's five seniors made major contributions in their last collegiate match.

"We knew that we had to be strong on defense today and that if we put pressure on them by digging and blocking they would start to make unforced errors," said Head Coach Allen McCreary. "Very proud of our senior class for being able to lead our team to a victory today and so proud of them for the sacrifices they have made to help build this program. They have put ART U volleyball in position to be very competitive in the future for many years."

Channeling its own pre-match Senior Day ceremony, the Penguins jumped out to a 5-1 lead, but that was countered by a 5-2 response capped by consecutive kills from Von Kraut. The teams would exchange 5-0 runs midway through before settling on a 20-20 tie. From there, Dominican managed to get the points it needed for a 25-22 win to open the contest.

In a foreshadowing of what was to come, the teams tied a grand total of 10 times until Academy of Art broke a 16-16 deadlock with a 7-2 surge that featured kills from senior middle blocker/opposite Sadie Emery, Kraut, freshman middle blocker Janaya Delone, and senior opposite Kiersten Kerch. What followed the Knights' 23-18 advantage was a 7-1 run from the Penguins, denying ART U its first of what would be seven set points. Kills by Kerch helped position Academy of Art to take the frame, but Dominican repeatedly answered with its back against the wall. After two kills from Emery, another pair was sent down by Von Kraut to finish off the 31-29 result, evening the match.

The Knights looked dominant early in the third set, opening on top 7-3 thanks to consecutive kills by Emery then 10-4 on a put-away by junior outside hitter Isaura Santos. The Penguins put together a 6-1 run heading into the late stages, but Academy of Art refused to relinquish its advantage, turning a 20-19 lead into a 23-19 margin on a kill by freshman middle blocker Janaya Delone, a service ace from junior setter Picabo Reinhold, then a combined block by Von Kraut and Delone. Seeing her first action of the match in the third, freshman outside hitter Ashley Mecham closed out the 25-20 victory on a kill and a service ace.

Hoping to force a fifth set, the Penguins began with a 6-2 advantage, but that was quickly erased by an 8-2 momentum shift that included back-to-back Emery service aces. ART U pushed ahead once more from a 10-10 with another 8-2 burst that had the Knights firing on all cylinders with Delone teaming up on two blocks, another Mecham ace, and kills by redshirt junior outside hitter Celena Davison and Von Kraut to make the score 18-12 in favor of Academy of Art. Points were traded briefly before ART U's strong play carried the visitors to a 25-16 win by way of a final 5-1 run.

Academy of Art finishes the fall season at 9-19 overall and 6-14 in conference play. Von Kraut's 15 kills were her second-most this year, Emery's 10 kills (which came with four blocks) were her fourth time in double figures this season, and Davison added nine kills with eight digs. Mecham offered seven kills in two sets played, Delone contributed six kills and six blocks, and Kerch totaled five kills.

Reinhold amassed 43 assists for 2,872 in her career (second in ART U history) along with two service aces for a total of 95 (tied for third in ART U history) in three seasons. Helping the team produce 83 digs (their fifth-highest total of the year) were 27 from freshman libero Elena Torres, a season-high 23 from senior defensive specialist Catharina Brant Bambirra, and 10 from Santos.

Dominican ends its season on a 15-match losing streak with a 1-28 overall record and 1-19 PacWest record despite being led by Tiff Wong's 15 kills plus 11 from Mariah Ahid.

With it season now complete, follow all the latest news on ART U volleyball at www.ARTUAthletics.com.