HILO, Hawaii – Aggressive serving from both sides helped dictate results of the first three sets of Academy of Art volleyball's Pacific West Conference rematch with UH Hilo and, in the end, it was the home team who prevailed 3-1 (23-25, 25-16, 25-17, 25-23) inside their own Vulcan Gymnasium on Thursday.

Carrying over its success serving the volleyball against Dominican on Nov. 4, ART U opened the rematch on a 5-1 run with multiple service aces from freshman libero LC-Reece Nakagawa as well as one from junior setter Elly McInerney. Two kills by graduate student outside hitter/right side Maya McClellan then came in a short span to put the Knights ahead 10-5 and that leading margin would hold until a 7-1 Vulcans rally brought the home team a 19-18 lead. Two ties followed before four straight Academy of Art points, including a kill by graduate student outside hitter Amalie Rupertova and a Nakagawa service ace, separated for the eventual 25-23 victory.

Countering by pushing an 8-4 lead to start the second set, UH Hilo stayed in front despite repeated near-comebacks from ART U. The Vulcans ultimately bettered the Knights' five service aces in the first frame with seven in the second and won 25-16.

Back and forth early, the third set leaned the home team's way at 10-7 before a 7-1 surge made it 18-10. Though kills by graduate student middle blocker Chandra Reed and freshman middle blocker/outside hitter Alohi Garcia staved off set points for the Vulcans down the stretch, the frame was later awarded to the Vulcans 25-17.

Nakagawa's fourth service ace of the night was delivered during scoring the initial stages of the fourth frame which saw Academy of Art shift from down two to up 10-8 on a 5-0 surge highlighted by an ace Rupertova and kill from McClellan. Junior right side Sofia Stemberga and Rupertova swung for successive kills as ART U built a 16-10 advantage with another 5-0 run then, though the teams were subsequently tied at 21, 22, and 23, two last kills by the Vulcans earned them the 25-23 decision and the match.

The Urban Knights move to 4-20 this year and 3-14 in PacWest matchups after McClellan and Rupertova, who had five kills apiece in the opening set, both finished with double-doubles. McClellan's 12th of the season featured 15 kills and 15 digs while Rupertova's 10th double-double saw her amass 10 kills and 11 digs. Garcia, the third ART U competitor to hit double digits, added 11 kills and McInerney paced the team with 23 assists. Nakagawa ended with 20 digs to go with her four service aces.

Now 12-14 overall and 9-9 in conference play, UH Hilo was led by Samara Cruz's 13 kills and the combination of Isabella Hadaller's 12 kills with six blocks while Emerson Reinke provided 38 assists and Tani Hoke collected 15 digs.

Academy of Art continues its Hawaii roadtrip with a 5 p.m. HT (7 p.m. PT) first serve versus Chaminade in Honolulu on Saturday, Nov. 11.