The Benedictine Mesa Men's Volleyball team saw their GSAC Tournament run come to a close Monday night in a dramatic five-set semifinal loss to Hope International. The Redhawks pushed the Royals to the brink but ultimately fell 22-25, 25-14, 20-25, 28-26, 12-15 in one of the most competitive matches of the season.

Set 1: 

Hope International came out hot, opening with a 5-1 run behind sharp serving from Javier Castillo and strong net play from Julian Zavala. Benedictine responded with key blocks from Dapre Rogers and Josh Beymer to close the gap. The Redhawks tied the set at 18-18, but a late surge by Hope, capped off with a block from Damon Potter, gave the Royals the opening set.

Set 2: 

Benedictine responded strongly in the second set, controlling play from start to finish. Setter John Jakaitis orchestrated a balanced offense, while Fuller and Beymer led a suffocating block. The Redhawks pulled away after a 5-5 tie, going on a 10-3 run. Consistent attacks from Rogers, Fuller, and LeDuff, combined with errors from Hope, allowed Benedictine to cruise to a lopsided win.

Set 3: 

The third set was tight early on, but Hope regained its footing midway through. Benedictine struggled with attack errors and a few miscues that allowed the Royals to build a lead. Despite kills from Fuller and a late push sparked by Trevor Weinert, Hope capitalized on Redhawk errors and stayed efficient offensively to take the set and go up 2-1.

Set 4: 

In what was the most intense set of the night, both teams traded blows in a seesaw battle. Benedictine fought off multiple set points, showing resilience and grit. Rogers came up big late, and the combination of Jakaitis' steady setting and clutch kills from Fuller and Weinert proved key. Rogers closed the set with a kill to cap a dramatic 28-26 win, sending the match to a decisive fifth set.

Set 5: 

With a trip to the GSAC Championship on the line, both teams came out firing. Benedictine held a narrow 8-5 lead after a service ace by Beymer and an error from Hope, but the Royals responded with a run of their own. Cole Oliver and Castillo sparked a late surge, and despite a final kill from Rogers, Hope secured the win 15-12 to end the Redhawks' postseason run.

Key Performers:

• Dapre Rogers: 18 kills, 1 ace, 4 blocks, 13 digs

• Landon Fuller: 15 kills (career kill record), .343 hitting %, 3 aces, 4 blocks, 8 digs

• Josh Beymer: 4 kills, 1 ace, 9 blocks, 4 digs

While the loss likely concludes Benedictine's season, there's still a possibility of earning an at-large bid to the NAIA National Tournament. Regardless, the Redhawks showcased heart, resilience, and high-level play all year. Congratulations to the team for a memorable and hard-fought season.