HONOLULU – Hawai'i Pacific University snapped a five-match losing skid in style on Sunday night, handing Academy of Art a 3-1 loss in PacWest Conference action at The Shark Tank.
 
The Sharks (5-19, 4-12) downed the Urban Knights (8-16, 5-11) 25-23, 23-25, 25-10, 25-16.
 
The Sharks posted a season-best .290 attack percentage, adding 2.0 team blocks, the second most this season. ART U hit .109 with 5.0 team blocks.
 
Sophomore Ella Dotson of Tucson, Ariz./Marana led the way for the Sharks with 18 kills, the second-most by a Shark this season. Senior Lauren Christie of Lebanon, Ore./Lebanon chalked up 14 kills with a .375 hitting percentage, and junior Demi Winters of Gresham, Ore./Barlow collected six blocks.
 
The Urban Knights got a double-double from Isaura Santos with 12 kills and 14 digs, while Katherine Von Kraut put up 11 kills and led the team with a .280 attack percentage. Sadie Emery recorded three blocks.
 
HPU jumped out to an 8-3 lead in the opening set on a kill by Dotson, and built up a 19-14 in the set on another Dotson kill before the Urban Knights made a 4-1 run to pull within two at 20-18. The teams swapped scores before the Knights closed the gap to one at 24-23. But after a timeout by HPU, Dotson closed the set with a kill and a 25-23 win.
 
The second set saw ART U jump out to an early five point lead, only to have the Sharks fight back to tie the set at 15-all. That led to 10 ties and four lead changes in the set, with the Sharks taking a 23-22 lead following an Urban Knight attack error. But ART U followed with a 3-0 run to swipe the set 25-23 on a kill from Von Kraut.
 
The Urban Knights held the final lead in the match in the third set at 2-1 before HPU rattled off a 7-1 run capped by a Christie kill and never looked back. ART U closed the difference to 14-9 before HPU went on an 11-1 run, using a 7-0 run off the serve of freshman Kayla Torres of Chino Hills, Calif./Chino Hills to close the 25-10 win.
 
The Sharks never trailed in the final set, building an 18-11 lead and holding on to claim the 25-16 win.
 
It's a big week for the Sharks, as HPU closes its home schedule with contests every other day. The Sharks host Azusa Pacific in a makeup match on Tuesday night. The match, originally to be played on Oct. 25 at APU, is set for a 7 p.m. first serve at The Shark Tank.