Match #10
ART U Urban Knights (1-8, 0-0 PacWest) vs. Point Loma Sea Lions (5-3, 0-0 PacWest)
Friday, September 9, 2022 at 6:30 p.m.
Belmont, Calif. – Walter Gleason Gym
Live Stats & Live Video

Match #11
ART U Urban Knights (1-8, 0-0 PacWest) vs. Concordia Eagles (3-4, 0-0 PacWest)
Saturday, September 10, 2022 at 1 p.m.
Belmont, Calif. – Walter Gleason Gym
Live Stats & Live Video

CONFERENCE AND HOME DEBUT ON TAP FOR ACADEMY OF ART
After picking up a 3-2 victory over Chico State to conclude the Seawolves/Penguins Classic this past weekend, Academy of Art volleyball has completed the non-conference portion of its schedule as the Urban Knights make way for hosting Point Loma and Concordia on back-to-back days to start Pacific West Conference action this week.

FIRST SERVE
Back inside Walter Gleason Gym on the campus of Notre Dame de Namur in Belmont, ART U first welcomes PLNU for a 6:30 p.m. first serve this Friday, Sept. 9 before returning to the same venue to host CUI on Saturday, Sept. 10 at 1 p.m. Remember to follow @ARTU_Knights via the athletics app (Apple App Store, Google Play Store) and on Twitter & Instagram, as well as "Like" the Urban Knights on Facebook for score updates, videos, and recaps.

KNIGHT WATCH
Academy of Art approaches conference play ranking tied for fifth in the PacWest in service aces per set (1.58) and seventh in digs per set (13.29). Four Urban Knights appear among the top 10 in the conference in various stat categories including graduate student outside hitter Amalie Rupertova who is sixth in points per set (3.26) as well as seventh in kills per set (2.84) while fellow graduate student outside hitter Maya McClellan sits 10th in points per set (2.87). One of that pair has led the team in kills in all but two of the team's nine matches and they have combined for four double-doubles thus far. Junior setter Elly McInerney can be found among the conference leaders in two categories, averaging 5.17 assists (eighth in PacWest) and 0.37 service aces (10th in PacWest) per set. Senior libero Isaura Santos erupted for a career-high 25 digs in ART U's win over Chico State, has no fewer than eight digs in every match this year, and comes in with the eighth-highest digs per set average (3.52) in the conference.

ON POINT
Emerging from each of its first two tournaments at .500 or better, Point Loma has seen all five of its wins come via 3-0 scores while its most recent loss to Cal Poly Pomona was also a sweep. The Sea Lions currently lead the PacWest in nearly all offensive categories, pacing the conference in hitting percentage (.241), kills (13.32), assists (12.32), and service aces (2.11) per set. A host of PLNU competitors are unsurprisingly also first in various PacWest categories including Abigail Nua (4.50 kills per set), Lauren Phillips (10.71 assists per set), and Courtney Dyer (5.14 digs per set). Meeting 15 times since 2012, Point Loma is 14-1 versus Academy of Art.

EAGLES EVALUATIONS
One win from reaching .500 on the season at 3-4 overall, Concordia has had an up-and-down season to date with wins over Simon Fraser and Cal State San Marcos, but losses to SF State and Cal Poly Pomona. The Eagles, who will face Dominican on Sept. 9 before ART U, rank second in the PacWest in digs per set (15.89) and third in blocks per set (1.96). They carry the conference's blocks per set leader in Halli Hooks (1.53), hitting percentage leader in Jalyssa Sanchez (.354), and have Kirra Schulz inside the top three in both kills (3.18) and digs (4.18) per set. After defeating CUI twice in 2019, the Urban Knights are trailing the Eagles 8-2 historically.

ACADEMY OF ART FINISHES NON-CONFERENCE PLAY AT STAN STATE
Despite improving upon each of its set scores, Academy of Art volleyball could not rally late to overtake Stanislaus State as the Urban Knights fell 3-0 (25-11, 25-18, 25-20) in their final non-conference match of the season on Sept. 6 inside Ed & Bertha Fitzpatrick Arena.

LOOKING AHEAD
As PacWest play continues, Academy of Art will make its annual trip to Hawaii to face Chaminade (Sept. 16), Hawaii Pacific (Sept. 17), and UH Hilo (Sept. 19).