SAN FRANCISCO -- Academy of Art volleyball returned to Kezar Pavilion to finish its current six-match Pacific West Conference homestand on Saturday and, though the Urban Knights tied their season high with 12 service aces and added their second-highest block total (10) of the season, it was UH Hilo who emerged with the 3-1 (25-21, 25-16, 23-25, 25-19) victory.
 
A 9-2 start for the Vulcans was met by ART U's 5-1 response highlighted by three block assists from junior right side Sofia Stemberga that combined with graduate student middle blocker Chandra Reed and sophomore middle blocker Kaia Fittz. UH Hilo countered with a 6-1 run yet the margin was again closed when the Knights rattled off five consecutive points with two service aces from graduate student outside hitter/right side Maya McClellan mixed in. Three more scores to tie the set at 21-21 were capped by a graduate student outside hitter Amalie Rupertova kill, but the visitors ended up taking the final four points for a 25-21 victory.
 
Trading 4-0 runs to start the second set, the two sides were soon tied at 9-9 following back-to-back kills by Stemberga and Rupertova. The middle portion of the frame favored UH Hilo 11-2 and, though Academy of Art saw McClellan, Stemberga, and Reed send down kills in a late push, a two-set advantage was gained by the Vulcans on the 25-16 final.
 
Junior setter Elly McInerney opened the third set with consecutive service aces and redshirt freshman middle blocker Zoe Arnold sent down a block on her first collegiate touch as ART U jumped in front 6-3 then six straight scores (one of which combined McInerney and Reed on a block) quickly made it 12-4 on the scoreboard. Six unanswered points brought UH Hilo back and the teams traded points until a 22-22 deadlock in the final stages. McClellan and Rupertova would put away kills for a 25-23 decisive ending with Academy of Art on top.

After being tied 8-8 then 12-12 in the fourth set, the Vulcans used runs of 3-0 and 4-0 to build a 23-17 lead. The Knights began to mount a comeback with McClellan's kill and McInerney's service ace, but a pair of kills by UH Hilo ended the contest on a 25-19 score.

The day's result puts ART U at 2-14 overall and 1-8 in PacWest play. McClellan led the Knights with 16 kills while logging her ninth double-double of the year with 10 digs as well as three blocks and three service aves. Rupertova provided 10 kills, Stemberga posted four block assists plus one block solo, McInerney added 21 assists along with four service aces, and freshman libero LC-Reece Nakagawa amassed a team-high 12 digs.
 
Now 7-8 overall and 4-3 versus conference opponents this season, UH Hilo was led by Taylor Tullo's 17 kills, Emerson Reinke's 43 assists, and 19 digs from Samara Cruz.
 
With its homestand complete, Academy of Art now shifts its attention to a Southern California trip that includes matchups with Concordia (Oct. 13 at 7 p.m.) and Westmont (Oct. 14 at 7 p.m.).