[Box score]

SAN DIEGO – Kelli LeClair had 22 kills to lead three Sea Lions in double-figures as Point Loma stormed back from being down two sets to earn a 20-25, 24-26, 25-20, 25-19 and 15-10 win over Academy of Art on Wednesday (Sept. 19).

LeClair hit .321 to help PLNU (4-6, 0-1 PacWest) outhit AAU .261 to .149 in the non-conference match (the Urban Knights are members of the PWC, but this was a non-league contest). However, it was not just LeClair that would provide the offense for the Sea Lions. Taylor Lane came into the match in the third set and recorded a season-best 13 kills on just 30 swings. Heather Leavitt also posted a season-best .256 hitting percentage with 15 kills and just five errors. She also added 15 digs for the double-double. This trio of freshmen and sophomores combined to score 54.5 of the Sea Lion's 82 points in the match.

Natalie Hamill was a big part of the success had by the underclassmen. The senior from Laguna Niguel, Calif., dished out a season-best 54 assists while adding 12 digs. Hamill was also a key piece of the offense with seven kills in just 11 attempts. She did not make a hitting error all night. Fellow senior Nicole Eiler led the squad with 32 digs.

The Urban Knights (3-8, 0-2 PacWest) jumped on top in the match thanks to a 10-0 run early in the opening set. The Sea Lions would fight back to cut AAU's lead to two points (19-17) but the Urban Knights recorded six of the final nine points to go up by a set.

The second set was back-and-forth but once again a late run by the Urban Knights would earn them the set. After Point Loma grabbed its largest lead (20-17) Academy of Art rallied to tie the set at 22-22. The Sea Lions would then grab leads of 23-22 and 24-23, but the Urban Knights would put up three straight points to grab the second set and go on top 2-0.

However, the Sea Lions would not go away easily. They fought back with a 25-20 win in the third set behind six kills from LeClair and four from Lane. The Sea Lions' defense also stepped up by holding AAU to a .000 hitting percentage and just eight kills.

The fourth set could have gone either way but the Point Loma volleyball team seized the opportunity and pushed the match to a fifth set. The match went back and forth until the Urban Knights grabbed a lead at 18-17. PLNU then went on an 8-1 run to close out the set 25-19 and set up a decisive fifth set.

The Sea Lions would ride the momentum they had created right through the fifth set. They hit .360 in the set while holding AAU to a .156 hitting percentage. LeClair and Lane both had three kills, while Hamill and Leavitt added two apiece.

For PLNU head coach Sarah Gustin's team, it was their fifth five-set match in ten total contests this year. They are now 2-3 in those matches.

“This team showed great resiliency tonight,” said Point Loma head volleyball coach Sarah Gustin. “We struggled with five-set matches early in the season so we have been working on those in practice. I was really proud of us for taking control in the fifth set and for coming back from 0-2. It was a testament to their fight and their drive to win.

“I was really proud of Taylor,” Gustin added. “She struggled some in the preseason but she came out tonight and was her old self again. She played the way we know she can play. She is a little spark plug and is really fun to watch when she plays well.”

Point Loma will now prepare to welcome in Notre Dame de Namur on Saturday, Sept. 22, at 3:00 p.m. This will be the first home PacWest match for the Sea Lions this season.

“This team is definitely emotional so getting the win allows us to build and hopefully come through with consistent play on Saturday,” Gustin noted.