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Hope International University

MVB vs Olivet Nazarene
3
Winner Olivet Nazarene (IL) OLIVET N 1-0, 0-0
2
Hope International HOPE INT 0-1, 0-0
Winner
Olivet Nazarene (IL) OLIVET N
1-0, 0-0
3
Final
2
Hope International HOPE INT
0-1, 0-0
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 5 F
Olivet Nazarene (IL) OLIVET N 23 25 25 14 15 (3)
Hope International HOPE INT 25 22 21 25 11 (2)

Game Recap: Men's Volleyball | | Robert Nilsen

Royals Drop Five Set Thriller to Tigers to Open Gray Wolf Invitational


Sylvania, OH – The Hope International men's volleyball team opened their 2025 season with a tough five set loss 3-2 to the Olivet Nazarene University Tigers to open up the Gray Wolf Invitational on Thursday evening on the road in Sylvania, OH.

The Tigers came out strong on a 6-0 run but the Royals regrouped with a 5-0 run led by two kills from Julian Zavala and Santiago Mantovani to make it 6-5. The Tigers continued to lead but the  Royals kept it close as they trailed 10-7 before a 4-0 run gave them their first lead with some superb serving from Mantovani to make it 11-10. The Tigers would quickly retake the lead as they went up 21-19. The Royals then seized on a Tigers service error followed by three service aces in a row from newcomer Cole Oliver to take a 23-21 lead. The Tigers would stay close at 24-23 before Coby Prowse delivered a huge kill to win the set 25-23 and put the Royals up 1-0. The Tigers jumped out to an early 10-6 lead but the Royals answered with back to back kills from Sean Seaman and Oliver to make it 10-8. The Tigers would then pull out to a 15-9 advantage but the Royals didn't do down easily as they pulled back within 23-22 with two kills by Zavala and one by Oliver. The Tigers weren't phased though as they pulled off the last two points to win 25-22 and tie the game 1-1.

The Royals would take the early lead as a block by Seaman and Oliver but them up 7-5. The Tigers would answer to take an 11-10 edge before the Royals came back to lead 14-13 off a kill by Damon Potter. The Tigers would seize back control as they went up 19-16 but again the Royals rallied to tie it 19-19 on a kill by Zavala. The teams would then trade points before the Tigers went on to win 25-21 and take a 2-1 lead. The fourth set was a battle as the Royals looked to stay alive with the teams exchanging leads as the Tigers went up 11-10. Needing an answer the Royals got it from Oliver who helped the Royals on a 7-0 run with two aces and a kill to take a 17-11 lead. The Tigers looked for a response as they made it 18-13 but the Royals had all the answers as they closed out the set on a 7-1 run finished off by a kill from Oliver to win 25-14 and force a decisive fifth set.

The Tigers seized back control in the fifth set as they opened on an 8-1 run to take the lead at the midway point. The Royals didn't go down easily as they went on a 5-0 run led by three straight kills from Oliver to make it 10-8. That's as close as the Royals got though as the Tigers won 15-11 and 3-2. Oliver led the Royals with 21 kills and seven aces while Zavala had 18 kills and Prowse 12.

The Royals continue play at the Gray Wolf Invitational as they take on Jamestown on Friday, January 24 at 12:00 PM PT at Lourdes University in Sylvania, OH.
 
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