The Benedictine Mesa men's volleyball team fell to Hope International in four sets on Saturday, with final scores of 19–25, 25–21, 23–25, 15–25.

Set 1:
Benedictine Mesa opened the match with strong energy, taking an early 2–0 lead thanks to a block by Ben Turcinec and Trevor Weinert, followed by a kill from Turcinec off a set by John Jakaitis. Hope International responded quickly, evening the score with a service error and ace from Cole Oliver.

The set remained close as both teams traded points. Landon Fuller and Dapre Rogers delivered key kills and blocks, while a service ace from Weinert gave BENU a brief 14–13 lead. However, Hope answered with a service ace and began to pull away, forcing a Redhawk timeout at 21–17. Despite a late push that included a kill from Weinert and a block from Josh Beymer, HIU closed out the set behind a strong serving run from Kyler Tufuga and consistent offensive pressure.

Set 2:
Benedictine Mesa bounced back in the second set with a determined performance, taking it 25–21 to even the match. The Redhawks traded points early, with strong contributions from Weinert, Fuller, Beymer, and Rogers. A service ace from Rogers sparked momentum, and BENU capitalized on a string of HIU errors to gain control.

Midway through the set, the Redhawks found their rhythm. Jakaitis distributed the ball well, setting up Rogers and Fuller for kills, while the front line stepped up defensively. A four-point run pushed BENU ahead 17–14. Though Hope tried to close the gap, the Redhawks stayed composed, sealing the set with a kill from Rogers and a service ace from Weinert.

Set 3:
The third set was a tightly contested battle, with BENU narrowly falling 25–23. Early kills from Turcinec and Weinert kept the Redhawks in stride, while blocks from Jakaitis and Weinert helped neutralize HIU's attack.

Benedictine took a late 20–18 lead thanks to a strong net presence and several key kills, but a few service errors and clutch plays from HIU's Oliver and Zavala shifted momentum. Despite a late kill from Beymer to keep the set alive, HIU closed it out, taking a 2–1 lead in the match.

Set 4:
Benedictine Mesa couldn't recover from an early 12–3 deficit in the final set, falling 25–15 as Hope International secured the match. A dominant service run by HIU's Coby Prowse, which included multiple aces, proved to be the difference early.

The Redhawks found moments of success with kills from Rogers and Weinert, but were unable to slow HIU's momentum. Despite efforts from Fuller and Beymer late in the set, the early damage proved too much to overcome. A service error on match point sealed the win for the Royals.

Key Performers:

• Dapre Rogers – 14 kills, 1 ace, 2 blocks, 6 digs

• Trevor Weinert – 7 kills, .500 hitting percentage, 2 aces, 5 blocks, 1 dig

• John Jakaitis – 2 kills, 29 assists, 4 blocks, 8 digs

Looking Ahead:
The Redhawks return to action on Wednesday, April 9th for their final home match of the season and Senior Night against Arizona Christian.