Though no hitters got into double digits kills, PLNU shared the wealth as they blanked the Royals Tuesday night (25-16, 25-22 and 25-14). The NAIA No. 10-ranked Sea Lions improved to 4-3 in the Golden State Athletic Conference and 14-3 overall. Hope International University fell to 1-6 in conference and 5-13 overall.
 
With 62 digs and five blocks, Point Loma held Hope to 24 kills in 108 attempts (.056). The Sea Lions were successful on 39 of 118 attempts (.220).
 
PLNU took an early lead in the first set, breaking into double digits six points ahead of the Royals at 10-4. HIU never closed the gap closer than five, as the Sea Lions cruised into a 25-16 win.
 
In the second, the Royals hung with Point Loma until 9-9, but a four-point run put the Sea Lions securely ahead at 16-11. However, HIU caught up at 20-20. PLNU outscored Hope 5-2 for the remainder of the set, ending it 25-22 with a kill from Karliegh Kaczmarek, who led the Sea Lions with nine kills.
 
Point Loma finished the match with an 11-point victory in the third, which it led from the first point. The Sea Lions' Chelsea Joanou and Tabitha Henken ended the match with a block, locking the set 25-14.
 
The PLNU offense marked low numbers for the second game in a row, with Henken and Maddie Dahms trailing Kaczmarek with eight kills apiece. Natalie Hamill and Kylie Morel split the setting duties evenly with 16 assists each. Morel and Nicole Eiler each had 17 digs.
 
Debbie Beliakoff was the kills leader for the Royals with nine, followed by Sine Schirmer with five. Jocelyn Moya had 15 digs and Emily Lyon had 20 assists.
 
The Sea Lions will travel to Irvine, Calif., to take on the No. 2-ranked Concordia University Saturday at 7 p.m.
 
-Nathan Scharn