Oct. 24, 2009
Box Score
FAIRFAX, Va. - The George Mason women's volleyball team stayed close with first-place Delaware throughout the evening, but ultimately the Fightin' Blue Hens came away with a 3-0 Colonial Athletic Association victory over the Patriots on Saturday at RAC Gym. Set scores were 25-21, 25-16, 25-22.
Mason fell to 6-3 in Colonial Athletic Association play and 17-7 overall as a four-match win streak came to a close against UD (15-6, 8-1), which rebounded from its first CAA loss on Friday night.
Sophomore Noelle Fanella led the Patriots with her second double-double in as many nights, chipping in team highs of 13 kills and 12 digs. Juniors Holly Goode and Fernanda Bartels each added double-doubles as well, with Goode contributing 11 kills and 11 digs while Bartels recorded 34 assists and 10 digs.
Kim Stewart led the Blue Hens with 14 kills while Alissa Aiker added 11 on .647 hitting. Stephanie Barry had 20 digs while Jess Chason recorded 41 assists.
The scoring margin of the first set was razor-thin throughout, as neither team led by two for most of the set and there were 18 ties in the frame. Ultimately, Delaware pulled away from a 20-20 tie with three points in a row, and after a Goode kill made it 23-21, a kill from Katie Dennehy and a Barry ace gave the first set to the Blue Hens.
Delaware never trailed in the second set, opening on a 5-0 run. Mason fought its way back, climbing within a point at 10-9 and again at 12-11. With the score 15-13 in the Blue Hens' favor, UD scored four in a row and Mason could advance no closer than five points for the remainder of the set.
Into the third set, the teams were once again locked in a see-saw battle. Mason led by as many as three points after opening with a 5-2 run, but the Blue Hens took control for good at the 15-15 tie with a pair of points. Mason kept it close for the rest of the match, but ultimately could not overtake UD as it held on for the victory.
Mason continues its season-long homestand next weekend with matchups against UNC Wilmington and Georgia State on Friday and Saturday night, respectively.
