FULLERTON, Calif. -- Top-seeded Hope International delivered a solid second-half performance Saturday afternoon, defeating fourth-seeded Benedictine Mesa 81-56 in the GSAC Women’s Basketball Championship Semifinals at Darling Pavilion to advance to the conference title game.

Hope International established control early despite a competitive opening stretch. Benedictine Mesa briefly grabbed the lead midway through the first quarter, but the Royals answered behind perimeter shooting and defensive pressure to close the period on a run and take a 16-9 advantage after one.

The momentum continued into the second quarter as Hope International’s offense found rhythm from beyond the arc. The Royals shot better than 53 percent from the field in the period while knocking down four three-pointers, stretching the lead to double digits. A balanced scoring effort helped HIU build a 40-27 halftime cushion and put the Redhawks on their heels.

Benedictine Mesa attempted to climb back into the game coming out of halftime, holding Hope International to just eight points in the third quarter. Behind strong play from Olivia Arvallo and Naomi Elliott, the Redhawks trimmed the deficit to single digits entering the final period at 48-39.

Any momentum, however, was quickly erased in the fourth quarter.

Hope International delivered its most complete stretch of the afternoon in the final 10 minutes, erupting for 33 points while shooting over 60 percent from the floor. The Royals turned defensive stops into efficient offensive possessions, steadily pushing the margin past 20 points and eventually to a game-high 27-point lead late in regulation.

Nicole Chuang led the Royals with 20 points, connecting on five three-pointers to pace Hope International’s perimeter attack. Amira Austin recorded a strong all-around performance with 14 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, helping HIU control the glass throughout the contest.

Hope International’s depth also proved decisive, as the Royals received 28 bench points, including 13 from Jada Long and 10 from Angelina De Leon. The Royals finished the game shooting 44.1 percent overall and 43.5 percent from three-point range while forcing turnovers that led to key scoring opportunities.

Arvallo carried the offensive load for Benedictine Mesa, scoring a game-high 28 points while converting 9-of-10 free throws. Elliott added 16 points for the Redhawks, but Benedictine Mesa struggled offensively as a team, shooting just 29.8 percent from the field against Hope International’s defensive pressure.

With the victory, the Royals will host third-seeded Arizona Christian in the GSAC Championship on Tuesday at 7 p.m., with the conference’s automatic berth to the NAIA National Championship on the line.