FULLERTON – Hope International took on one of the top women's volleyball teams in the GSAC on Friday, battling OUAZ to the wire in a four-set loss at Darling Pavilion.

Set scores were 25-18, 18-25, 25-21, 26-24. The Royals led the Spirit 23-20 in the fourth set and appeared headed to a winner-take-all fifth. But OUAZ scored six of the final seven points to end the match.

Manaia Mamea and Olivia Samaniego topped the Royals with 12 kills apiece. Samaniego hit .333 (12-3-27) with a team-high five blocks. Mamea chipped in 11 digs to secure a double-double.

Lole Mamea added 10 kills, five digs and four blocks.

Setter Alyssa Bishop tallied a 20-assist, 16-dig double-double.

The Royals held advantages over the Spirit in kills (53-41), assists (51-39) and service aces (8-7), but committed 16 more attack errors (30-14) than the visitors.

OUAZ (18-3, 10-2 GSAC) received 10 kills apiece from Gloria Moye and Jessica Pearce.

The Royals dropped their seventh straight match to fall to 6-12 overall and 2-9 in conference play.

OUAZ controlled the action in set one, racing out to an 8-3 lead. The Spirit then used a 13-2 run to create space and led 18-7 following an HIU error. The Spirit took the 25-15 victory following a double block by Pearce and Nina Peay.

HIU fired back in set two. After six early ties – the Royals utilized a 6-1 run to open up a 14-9 lead, getting back-to-back kills from Lole Mamea.

OUAZ whittled the deficit to 15-12, but a 5-0 HIU run created a 20-12 bulge. Savannah Salter posted a pair of kills and Rita Nua rifled a pair of service aces during the run.

The Royals were never threatened and ended the set on an Olivia Zawalick kill for the 25-18 triumph.

In set three, OUAZ built an 11-7 lead, but the Royals stiffened and closed within 13-12. HIU trailed by one as the set wore on, the final time at 19-18. But the Spirit eventually grew the lead to 23-20. Samaniego pounded a kill to bring HIU within two, but two consecutive Royal errors gave OUAZ the 25-21 win.

The fourth set had HIU taking an 11-7 lead following a 4-0 run. Three straight Manaia Mamea kills completed another 4-0 burst, and HIU led 16-10.

HIU remained in front by five, 20-15, but consecutive Moye kills saw OUAZ get closer at 22-20. Zawalick's kill gave HIU a 23-20 lead. But two more Moye kills and an HIU attack error tied the score at 23-23. After an HIU timeout, the Royals committed another error. 

Manaia Mamea tied the score at 24-24 following a kill. However, Moye and Pearce closed out the match with back-to-back kills for the 26-24 victory. OUAZ hit .238 in the fourth set, its best effort of the match.

The Royals return to action on Saturday against Embry-Riddle at 1:00 p.m.