FULLERTON – Hope International women's volleyball hit a season-high .282 to overcome a slow start in Friday's four-set triumph over visiting Park Gilbert at Darling Pavilion.

After dropping the first set to the Buccaneers, the Royals regrouped and won the next three sets in dominant fashion. The 15-25, 25-19, 25-17, 25-9 victory improved HIU to 6-5 overall and 2-2 in GSAC play. Park Gilbert dropped to 4-11 and 1-4 in conference action.

HIU hit an astounding .546 (27-3-44) over the final two sets in its first home match in over a month.

Junior middle blocker Olivia Samaniego topped all Royals with 10 kills on .375 hitting. Vianka Martinez and Lole Mamea added nine kills apiece, and Manaia Mamea and Savannah Salter each chipped in seven.

The balanced offensive attack included 51 kills – the third-most by HIU in a single match this season. 

Annie Nugent led the defensive effort with 14 digs, while the setter duo of Alyssa Bishop and Rita Nua dished out 21 and 18 assists, respectively.

Keep Williams led Park Gilbert with 12 kills and nine digs.

The two teams traded blows in set one. Lole Mamea had three early kills to stake HIU to a 7-6 lead. The Buccaneers reeled off five straight points – which included four straight kills and a block assist from Williams – to take an 11-7 lead.

The run eventually reached 12-3 as Park Gilbert led 18-10. The Royals had five straight attack errors to help Park Gilbert's cause. HIU could not build any momentum as the Buccaneers built a 23-12 lead on another kill from Williams.

An HIU attack error ended the set 25-15 in favor of Park Gilbert. Williams had six kills in the set. Park Gilbert hit .308, while HIU managed just .030 efficiency.

The tides turned in set two, although the early returns suggested otherwise. Park Gilbert zoomed out to a 6-1 lead as HIU seemed stuck. But the Royals embarked on a 12-1 run, including nine straight points.

Suddenly, HIU was in front 13-7. The run included two kills from Samaniego, two straight Nua aces, and three Manaia Mamea putaways.

Park Gilbert scored five of the next six points to close within 14-12, but HIU answered with a 4-0 run to create some distance. The Buccaneers tallied three straight points to whittle the deficit to 18-15, but Royal kills from Lauren Cummings, Manaia Mamea and Samaniego finished out the set with HIU sporting a 25-19 victory.

The reset sparked HIU as the home team built a 5-1 advantage to start the third frame. Tabitha Irish served up an ace to put the Royals up 10-5, and HIU maintained its five-point advantage at 17-12 following a Lole Mamea kill. That began a 5-0 run which opened up a 21-12 lead, and the Royals cruised to the 25-17 victory.

HIU stormed out to a 7-1 lead in set four and never relinquished the lead. After committing just one attack error in set three, the Royals had just two in set four.

Park Gilbert was in striking distance, trailing just 13-8, but the Royals posted an 11-0 run to get to match point with Macy Thornburg at the service line for 10 of those points.

HIU posted the 25-9 victory in one of its most impressive performances of the season.

The Royals return home on Saturday to face Benedictine Mesa at 1:00 p.m.