HONOLULU – Hawai'i Pacific University snapped a four-match losing skid on Wednesday night in taking down Academy of Art 3-1 in PacWest Conference action at The Shark Tank.
 
The Sharks (18-11, 14-7) dropped the first set to the Urban Knights (12-16, 9-11) 25-23, then roared back to win 25-17, 25-18, 25-19, for the most wins since 2010 when HPU went 18-6.
 
The Sharks hit .258 for the match and dominated the net with 11 team blocks. ART U hit .156 and recorded six team blocks.
 
While HPU got its usual production from senior Perla Escobar of Calexico, Calif./Calexico with 11 kills and an ace, and junior Cameryn Collie of El Dorado Hills, Calif./Oak Ridge, who double-doubled with 10 kills and 10 digs, the outstanding performances came down the lineup.
 
Sophomore Nicole Ferris of Woodstock, Ga./Etowah recorded 10 kills on 18 attempts with a remarkable .556 attack and two blocks. Sophomores Makenna Gambee of Hillsboro, Ore./Hillsboro and Lauren Christie of Lebanon, Ore./Lebanon, both recorded a match-high five blocks to go with six kills as Gambee hit .600 for the night. Sophomore Kirah Boynton-Brown of Vancouver, Wash./Union added four blocks. Senior Amanda Acosta of Exeter, Calif./Extra Union tallied four of the Sharks nine service aces in the win.
 
Sadie Emery led ART U with 12 kills and a .360 hitting percentage with two blocks. Carly Evetts added 11 kills.
 
The Sharks let the first set slip through their hands, jumping out to a 12-6 lead and following through for an 18-13 lead after a block by junior Sierra Piester of Carlsbad, Calif./Tri-City Christian. The Urban Knights came back with a 4-1 run to make the score 19-17, but HPU upped the difference to four at 21-17 and appeared to be in control. That's when ART U reversed the tables on the Sharks with a 5-0 run capped by a bad set from Piester to take the lead 22-21. HPU got it tied at 22 on a bad ART U serve before the Urban Knights got a kill from Emery and a double-block from Emery and Jillian Wheaton to take a 24-22 advantage. Boynton-Brown pulled HPU back within one at 24-23, but another Emery kill gave ART U the set 25-23.
 
HPU wasn't going to allow the Knights to do that again.
 
After swapping points to start the second set, HPU rattled off a 9-1 run to lead 10-2 after a kill by Gambee. The Sharks and Knights answered scores before a Collie kill started a 5-0 run that put HPU up by double-digits. ART U didn't close the differential until the Sharks built a 24-11 lead while substituting freely. ART U caught a spark, and taking advantage of the lineup went on a 6-0 run to pull within 24-17. The Sharks returned to their usual lineup and Collie quickly got the kill to win the set 25-17.
 
The third set was close as the teams tied five times until HPU led 8-7. Collie stepped up with back-to-back kills that started a 5-0 run and extended to a 7-1 streak as Boynton-Brown's kill made it 15-8. The Sharks pushed the lead out to 20-12, then pushed it to 22-14. The teams traded points again until a kill from Collie ended the set for HPU at 25-18.
 
The Urban Knights in the fourth set, with 11 ties and three lead changes until the set was 16-16. Once again it was a Collie kill that set off the Sharks with a 5-0 run capped by a Boynton-Brown and Christie double-block to put HPU up 21-16. The Knights got a point, but started an exchange with HPU. After getting to 23-19, Escobar put an end to the match with a pair of kills for the final 25-19 win.
 
The Sharks, currently tied for fourth in the PacWest Conference, close out the season on Friday with Senior Night against Holy Names at The Shark Tank. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m., with ceremonies to honor HPU's four seniors following the match.