Fullerton, CA- After coming up short in the fifth set in Phoenix earlier this season, the Firestorm pulled out a 3-2 win (25-23, 25-22, 19-25, 18-25, 15-13) over Hope International in Fullerton on Friday night.  Seniors Brenna Bailey and Samantha McCants both delivered 12 kills in the win.

Junior Hailey Settle opened the match with a service ace- serving would play a big role throughout the match.  The Royals answered with the next point before the Firestorm used kills from Settle and McCants, a McCants' service ace, and a block by Junior Deborah White and Bailey to create a 4-0 run and give ACU back the lead.  They maintained the scoring edge through the rest of the set.

McCants delivered more aces (four) than anyone on either side of the net delivered kills (two players had three) in the first set.

Set two was back and forth to the tune of ten ties and five lead changes.  Down 18-17, ACU used an ace from McCants and kill from Senior Haley Worden to move ahead 19-18.  Back-to-back errors tied the score and pushed Arizona Christian back in front at 20-19.  Two kills from Bailey sandwiched around a service ace from Freshman Abbey Yates gave ACU the momentum to close out the set.

Defense was optional in the second set as the teams combined for just three errors.  The Firestorm buried 17 kills to the tune of hitting an astounding .455.  The Royals hit .333 in the set.

Four straight hitting errors created a 2-2 tie to begin the third set.  After six ties and three lead changes, the teams were locked up at 12-12.  A 6-0 run by HIU gave them a lead they enjoyed the rest of the third- and aside from a 1-1 tie to begin set number four- all the way through the fourth set.

Like their match back in September, Hope International grabbed the early lead in the fifth and final set, in fact a 6-0 edge.  The lead stayed in tacked until 12-8.  But unlike in September, Arizona Christian found the answer as they held HIU to just one point the remainder of the night.  Five straight errors by HIU moved ACU ahead 13-12.  A kill by the Royals made it 13 all before McCants and Worden laid down back-to-back kills to lock in the first GSAC win of the season for ACU.

Everyone was chasing Hope International's Katie Landazuri who put away 26 kills.  Twelve kills from Bailey, McCants, and HIU's Kierra Person were the next closest.  The serving of ACU (14 aces versus 8 errors) was the difference.

Upon returning home, the Firestorm will remain in the state of Arizona the rest of the season.  On Monday, they will play at Benedictine-Mesa before closing out the season on Friday at home against San Diego Christian.  The match with the Redhawks will be played at Mesa Community College at 7:00 pm.