ALISO VIEJO, Calif. – The Hope International men's volleyball team hit .368 in a 25-23, 25-11, 25-23 road sweep of Soka on Thursday.

Alessandro Spendolini posted a match-high 20 kills on .389 hitting. He added three service aces.

Jah'mi Jeter chipped in 11 kills while hitting .455 with a team-high tying seven digs. Sam D'Ambrosio ran the offense and picked up 32 assists, while Ethan Davis dropped in four aces of the team's 10 aces.

Also effective for HIU (4-12, 2-4) was Travis Donahue, who posted six kills on .556 hitting to go along with a team-best four block assists.

The two teams battled through five early ties in set one before the Royals established an 8-5 lead following a 4-0 run. The Lions caught the Royals at 11-11 and six more ties ensued. 

With HIU trailing 17-15, the visitors went on a 4-0 run to turn the deficit into a two-point lead, getting kills from Spendolini, Jeter and a Donahue service ace.

HIU clung to leads of 22-21 and 24-23 – and following a timeout at set point – got a Spendolini kill to secure the 25-23 victory.

HIU dominated set two, building a 13-6 lead following a 5-0 run. Leading 14-8, the Royals blitzed the Lions with eight straight points – Spendolini pounding three more kills – and the Royals cruised to the 25-11 victory.

Spendolini had seven kills and two aces in the second set.

In set three, the Royals went on a 4-1 run to take an 8-5 lead. HIU led 11-7, but the Lions mustered a 5-0 run to grab a one-point lead. However, the Royals answered with a five-point run of their own as Spendolini knocked down two more kills.

Soka (1-11, 0-7) caught HIU at 18-18, but the visitors scored four of the next five points to take a 22-19 lead. Spendolini gave the Royals match point with a kill at 24-21. Soka pulled within 24-23, but an attack error handed the Royals the 25-23 triumph.

HIU hit .700 (14-0-20) and set two and .500 (16-1-30) in set three, committing just one error over the final two sets.

The Royals host No. 1 The Master's on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.