SANTA CLARITA, Calif. – Hope International women's volleyball hung tough with No. 17-ranked The Master's, but ultimately fell in three sets by scores of 25-22, 25-21, 27-25 on Tuesday inside The MacArthur Center.
Manaia Mamea led the Royals with 10 kills, while freshman Genevieve Kertz followed with eight kills and a match-high six blocks. Sabrina Galassi contributed seven kills and 14 digs.
Setter Rita Nua ran the offense to the tune of 26 assists, while Kaylani Moncada led the defensive effort with 20 digs.
HIU hit .054 for the match, compared to a .156 effort for the Mustangs.
Isabella Amet led TMU with a match-high 16 kills.
In set one, TMU broke a 7-7 tie with a seven-point run. The Royals remained down by seven points, 21-14, but fought back with five straight points to close within two. But Krista Brady polished off the 25-22 set one win with a kill.
The Royals trailed 10-2 early in set two and stayed at a double-digit deficit for long stretches. But a 7-2 run chopped the deficit in half, bringing HIU within 23-18. However, Brady ended the set once again with a kill, giving TMU a 25-21 victory.
HIU led 15-12 in set three, but TMU posted a 7-0 run to go up 19-15. Amet had three straight kills during the burst.
The Royals scored three straight points to creep within 19-18, aided by consecutive Kertz blocks. Lole Mamea notched back-to-back kills, and she teamed up with Kertz on an assisted block to knot the set at 22-22.
Lole Mamea fired an ace to give the Royals set point at 25-24, but the Mustangs reeled off the final three points to take the 27-25 win. Amet sealed the match with her 16th kill.
HIU continues road action in the GSAC, traveling to Benedictine Mesa on Saturday for a noon contest.
