The Benedictine Mesa Men's Volleyball team opened conference play with a dominant 3-0 sweep over No. 14 Hope International, securing set wins of 25-22, 25-21, and 29-27.

Set 1: Benedictine battled through a tightly contested opening set, edging Hope International 25-22. The Redhawks capitalized on early errors and strong net play, with John Jakaitis setting the tone at the net. Despite a back-and-forth exchange, key kills from Dapre Rogers and Landon Fuller, along with a clutch service ace from Rogers, gave Benedictine the momentum down the stretch. A decisive block from Ben Turcinec and a final service error from Hope International sealed the set.

Set 2: Benedictine carried their energy into the second set, jumping to an early 5-1 lead behind kills from Rogers and Fuller. Hope International attempted to rally, closing the gap to 10-9, but the Redhawks maintained control. Timely kills from Trevor Weinert, Rogers, and Turcinec extended the lead, while Rogers' presence at the net helped keep Hope at bay. A late push from the Royals wasn't enough, as a service error from Hope International secured the 25-21 win for Benedictine.

Set 3: The final set proved to be the most intense, with the Redhawks prevailing 29-27 in a dramatic finish. Despite falling behind early, Benedictine fought back behind a dominant serving run from Fuller. The teams exchanged points in a high-pressure battle, with Rogers and Fuller delivering clutch kills to keep the Redhawks in the fight. A late push from Hope International forced extra points, but Fuller's decisive kill and a Royals attack error clinched the sweep for Benedictine.

Key Performers:

• Dapre Rogers: 18 kills, .467 hitting percentage, 2 aces, 2 blocks, 3 digs
• Landon Fuller: 9 kills, 5 aces, 2 blocks, 7 digs
• John Jakaitis: 35 assists, 2 kills, 1 block, 6 digs

Up Next:
The Redhawks return to action on Saturday, March 8, for a marquee home matchup against No. 1 The Master's.