AZUSA, Calif. – Academy of Art volleyball's first Pacific West Conference contest of the season began on a strong note as the Urban Knights earned an opening set victory, but Azusa Pacific would come back to win the match 3-1 (24-26, 25-16, 25-17, 25-18) inside Felix Event Center on Friday evening. Junior outside hitter Isaura Santos led all players with a season-high 20 kills while freshman outside hitter Ashley Mecham added her fifth double-double of the year in the form of 16 kills and 12 digs.

Evenly played through the first 30 points, ART U executed a 6-1 run with two kills from senior middle blocker/opposite Sadie Emery to take a 20-16 lead. Six of the next seven went APU's way and the teams continued to find themselves deadlocked. Four of Santos' nine kills (and .615 hitting percentage) came in the final seven points scored and ultimately a 26-24 victory emerged for Academy of Art.

A 16-7 start to the second set had Azusa Pacific in control early, but Mecham and Santos kills bookended three consecutive points by the Knights. The Cougars used a subsequent 5-0 run to approach set point only to face a final 5-1 surge that featured kills from all three of ART U's outside hitters. In the end, time ran out on a comeback and the match had been evened on a 25-16 set score.

Azusa Pacific created separation with an 8-3 push early in the third frame then freshman outside hitter Katherine Von Kraut and Mecham put down back-to-back kills to shorten the gap to four points at 19-15. A solid finish to the set by APU, however, resulted in a 25-17 final in their favor.

Two Von Kraut kills helped ART U start a crucial fourth set up 4-1 yet the next five points went to the Cougars. A one-point margin at 13-12 suddenly became five at 19-14 with the home team making a move, but Mecham and Emery provided kills in a 3-0 rebuttal. The frame ended up 25-18 to Azusa Pacific after they captured six of the last seven points for the match as well.

ART U moves to 3-6 overall and 0-1 in PacWest action this fall thus far. Santos' season-high 20 kills were the highest total by an Urban Knight this season and came with eight digs. Mecham ended second with her aforementioned 16 kills while Emery's 10 kills were also a season-high. Junior setter Picabo Reinhold amassed a match-high 46 assists with 10 digs for her second double-double and freshman libero Elena Torres led the squad with 15 digs.

Winners of five straight, Azusa Pacific rises to 6-3 on the season and 1-0 in conference play. Katarina Radisic posted 19 kills in addition to 12 digs as the Cougars' top performer.

The Urban Knights' first PacWest roadtrip takes them down to San Diego for a 3 p.m. matchup with Point Loma tomorrow, Sept. 18.