FULLERTON, Calif. --- Sophomore Christine Douglas recored 15 kills and senior Tavea Hampton had eight kills and a career-high 10 blocks to lead Biola to a 25-17, 25-21, 24-26, 26-24 GSAC victory over upset-minded Hope International University on Tuesday night.

The Eagles, ranked No. 3 in the latest NAIA National Rankings released earlier in the day, pick up their ninth-straight victory and improves to 18-4 overall and to 10-1 in conference play. The Royals drop to 5-10 and to 2-9 in the GSAC.

The match was a testament to just how difficult the GSAC is with any team having the ability to knock off anyone else on any given night.  Hope took advantage of some poor play by the Eagles in the third and fourth games to make things quite interesting.

Biola completely dominated the first set, jumping out to a 16-9 lead and not looking back. The Eagles hit .355 and committed just three attack errors in the set. 

But things got a bit tougher from there. Trailing 16-13, Biola used a 7-2 run to go up 20-18 and managed to hang on down the stretch to take game two 25-21.

The Royals kept up the charge in the third set, taking advantage of 13 hitting errors by the Eagles. Biola once again rallied back from a deficit, this time coming back from a 20-17 whole to eventually tie the match at 21-21. Tied at 23-23, the Eagles got a kill by Rachel Buckley to set up match point. However, an attack error and a service ace would give the set to a jubilant Hope team, 26-24. 

The momentum carried over to what proved to be an exciting fourth set. Biola led early at 13-10 and again at 15-11. However, Hope used an 8-2 run to take a 19-17 lead. The Eagles fought back with a quick four-point run to take a two-point lead only to see the Royals tie the score again at 22-22. After exchanging points, the Royals took the advantage with a kill by Naomi Iosia to set up set point.

After a timeout, Hope knotted the score with a kill by Douglas, then earned another match-point on an attack error by the Royals. Douglas than put the match away with another kill by Douglas to wrap things up.

Douglas had a team high 15 kills but was not immune to Biola's sudden propensity for errors, committing seven in 39 swings. She added eight digs for the Eagles. Freshman Tori Carroll added 11 kills and four blocks. 

Hampton also had a great night, recording eight kills with no errors in 19 attack and adding 10 blocks including one solo. 

Biola finished with 31 errors in four sets, matching a season-high for errors in a set. Oddly, the Eagles also won that match, beating arch-rival Azusa Pacific in four. Biola committed 13 errors in the third set, hitting -.021, just the third time they hit negative in a set all year. 

Iosia led Hope International with 17 kills in 47 swings, adding 13 digs, two aces and a solo block.

Biola begins an incredibly difficult stretch, taking on three top 10 teams over the course of the next week. The Eagles host a tough non-conference opponent on Thursday (Oct. 14), welcoming in No. 8 Taylor University (Ind.) at 7:00 p.m. Biola then faces No. 10 Concordia on Saturday before traveling up north to face No. 1 Fresno Pacific on Saturday. 

Saturday's match will be the concluding event in the Fall Ball Tripleheader against Concordia. The volleyball match, which begins at 7:30 p.m., will wrap up an exciting day of sporting events against Concordia with women's soccer taking on the Eagles at 2:30 p.m. and men's soccer facing Concordia at 5:00 p.m. Fans are encouraged to come early and stay for the day as food, fun and lots of prizes will be provided throughout the entire day.