SANTA CLARITA, Calif. – Hope International men's volleyball lost a tight four-set match to Arizona Christian in GSAC action on Friday at the MacArthur Center. 

Set scores were 28-26, 25-27, 25-13, 25-19.

Alessandro Spendolini led the Royals with 20 kills. Steve Tong had a team-best 15 digs out of the back row, and Benjamin Antonio handed out 33 assists.

In set one, the Royals led 22-16, but the Firestorm mounted a 7-2 run to pull within 24-23. The Royals had set point at 26-25, but ACU scored the final three points to win 28-26.

HIU reeled off five straight points early on in set two to take a 6-4 lead. With the Royals leading 19-17, Spendolini posted back-to-back kills to give HIU a 23-17 advantage. The Royals got to set point at 24-19, but the Firestorm rallied with five straight points, tying the score at 24-24 on an Asher Ganem service ace.

But the Royals got a Travis Donahue kill and a Ganem attack error to win the set 27-25.

Another tight set took place in the third as the two teams were tied 20-20. ACU reeled off four straight points to get to set point. HIU scored twice to withstand two set points, but ACU won 25-23 on a Jarrett Spartz kill.

HIU trailed most of set four and fell behind 21-15. The Royals got within four, but back-to-back ACU points sealed the match at 25-19.

The Royals meet OUAZ on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. inside the MacArthur Center.