ATHERTON, Calif. – Alessandro Spendolini tallied a match-high 16 kills, but the Hope International men's volleyball team came up just short in a five-set defeat at Menlo on Friday.

The Royals led two sets to one, but lost by scores of 27-29, 25-21, 23-25, 25-15, 15-13. HIU is now 1-6 on the season. The Oaks earned their first victory of the season to move to 1-7.

Spendolini added 14 digs to secure his first double-double as a Royal. He also fired off two of HIU's six service aces.

Hugo Gonzalez Gutierrez added eight kills and 10 digs. 

Benjamin Antonio posted 27 assists as the Royals hit .063 as a team.

Set one was tight as multiple lead changes took place. The two teams combined for 14 service errors in the frame. The Royals led 21-17 but Menlo utilized a 6-0 run to take a two-point lead. The Royals countered with three straight points to get to set point, but Alexandre Ferdani tied the score with a kill. HIU won the set 29-27 as Antonio and Sean Seaman stuffed Mark Ensalaco at the net.

Joshua Friedman posted three straight service aces to give the Oaks momentum at the start of set two. Menlo totaled six aces in the frame and Ensalaco was effective with five kills, as the home team picked up the 25-21 victory.

The Royals and Oaks engaged in another back-and-forth battle in set three as neither team led by more than two points for a majority of the time. HIU scored three straight to pull ahead by three points for the first time at 17-14. The Royals maintained the three-point lead at 22-19, but the Oaks eventually tied it at 23-23. However, HIU got a Spendolini kill and Menlo attack error to cement the 25-23 victory.

Menlo dominated set four as an early eight-point run forged a 10-2 lead. Vojtech Simunek had three solo blocks for Menlo as the Royals never threatened in the 25-15 loss.

The fifth set resembled some of the close play from previous sets as the two teams battled through eight ties to reach 12-12. Menlo got a double block from Vojtech and Ensalaco to go up 13-12, and Max Jarrett and Joshua Friedman followed with another assisted stuff as the Oaks reached match point.

Gonzalez-Gutierrez staved off one match point with a kill, but Ensalaco closed out the match with a putaway and 15-13 win.

Ensalaco and Mathias Durfee tied for team-high honors with 12 kills apiece for the Oaks.

The Royals continue their nine-match season-opening roadtrip as they meet Westcliff on Tuesday, February 24 at 6:00 p.m.