SEASIDE, Calif. – Inside Cal State Monterey Bay's Otter Sports Complex to begin its 2022 campaign, Academy of Art volleyball demonstrated a mixed attack with all Urban Knights working defensively despite falling to No. 23 Michigan Tech 3-0 (25-15, 25-18, 25-17) and host CSUMB 3-0 (25-16, 25-21, 25-16) in the Otter Invitational on Friday.

MATCH 1 – MTU 3, ART U 0
Despite taking the first point of the contest, the Knights found themselves trailing 6-3 in the opening minutes. A pair of kills from graduate student outside hitter Amalie Rupertova brought Academy of Art back in, but the Huskies proceeded to take 10 of the next 12 points to establish a 17-8 lead. Freshman middle blocker/right side Kaia Fittz dropped a kill to help punctuate the three straight ART U points that followed though steady production by MTU sent the designated visitors to a 25-15 win.

Back-and-forth action began the second frame as no more than two points separated the teams until the 25th collective point was scored and it was a hard-fought one at that. Graduate student outside hitter Maya McClellan paced Academy of Art with three kills in the early span then Fittz put two more away and it was suddenly knotted up at 14-14. Three Knights accounted for four more kills thereafter, but Michigan Tech was able to hold on for the 25-18 end result.

The momentum of two set victories pushed MTU to an 8-2 start to the third frame, but a kill by Rupertova then a block by McClellan and Fittz helped ART U respond with five unanswered points to make it 8-7. Runs of 5-1 and 8-1 allowed the Huskies to gain separation though the Knights did not go quietly as sophomore setter Nina Garcia delivered two service aces during a late 4-0 response. Two final kills, however, ended the match 25-17 in Michigan Tech's favor.

Four different Knights recorded five or more kills with Rupertova's nine leading the way. She added seven digs while Fittz finished with seven kills and McClellan added six kills plus seven digs. Junior setter Elly McInerney amassed 26 assists as well as seven digs, Garcia added seven digs with three service aces, and senior libero Isaura Santos paced the squad with 10 digs.

Owners of a 2-0 start to the season, Michigan Tech got a match-high 10 kills from Jillian Kuizenga.

MATCH 2 – CSUMB 3, ART U 0
Though the Otters came out strong, establishing a 13-7 lead, Academy of Art quickly responded with a 6-2 run that featured multiple kills from sophomore right side Katherine Von Kraut and was punctuated by a service ace from Garcia. Down only by three points at 18-15, the Knights could not overcome Cal State Monterey Bay's rebuttal which included five consecutive points before the 25-16 final. 

Von Kraut and Rupertova each had putaways during a 4-2 start to the second set before CSUMB moved back into control with a 10-4 push. The middle of the frame belonged to Academy of Art, however, as the Knights surged back with a 7-1 run highlighted by more offense from Von Kraut and Rupertova plus a kill and subsequent block assist from sophomore middle blocker Janaya Delone. The ensuing 17-17 deadlock was broken by the Otters' 7-2 momentum shift and, though ART U fought off multiple set points, Cal State Monterey Bay prevailed 25-21.

Brief runs had CSUMB ahead 9-6 in the early portion of set three then both sides traded points until a 12-11 score which gave way to the Otters' 6-1 push and later five of the match's six points for a 25-16 result that ended with Cal State Monterey Bay on top 3-0.

Despite starting the year 0-2, ART U had three Knights finish with seven or more kills in the nightcap. Rupertova collected nine kills plus nine digs, McClellan contributed eight kills with seven digs, and Von Kraut had the highest hitting percentage for ART U in the match at .385 with seven kills. McInerney added 21 assists and 10 digs for her first double-double of the season while Santos was responsible for nine digs.

Competing in their first match of the tournament, Cal State Monterey Bay was led by 10 kills apiece from Mollin Helfrich and Kaylie Honberger.

Academy of Art will close out the Otter Invitational tomorrow with two more matches pitting the Urban Knights against Cal Poly Pomona at noon followed by Cal State Dominguez Hill at 5 p.m.