Nov. 23, 2009

Box Score

RICHMOND, Va - During the 2009 regular season, the George Mason women's volleyball team took a pair of tough 3-0 losses to the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens. With a stake in the CAA Championship on the line on Monday at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Richmond, Va., the Patriots rallied from a 2-1 deficit to overcome their nemesis and avenge those two regular-season losses. As a result of its 3-2 victory, George Mason takes on the winner of tonight's second semifinal between William and Mary and host VCU in the CAA Championship Match on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

The Patriots will be making their first appearance in the CAA Championship Match since the 2003 season, when Mason won its last conference title. The Patriots have won seven CAA Championships in the history of the program.

In the deciding set, Mason (22-8) got off to a fast start, taking the first three points on its way to a commanding 12-4 lead. The closest Delaware (19-8) would get was within six points at 13-7 before the Patriots closed the contest with the final two points off a kill by Laura Turner and an attack error by the Fightin' Blue Hens' Alissa Alker.

Facing elimination, Mason fell behind early in the fourth set but rallied to knot the score at 16 following a ball handling error by Alker. After tying the score, the Patriots took the next two points to take an 18-16 lead. Mason never trailed again, winning the set 25-21 on a well-placed kill just within the end line on set point by junior Holly Goode.

In the first set, George Mason took an early 7-6 lead that it would not relinquish. Mason went on to lead by as many as five points in the set. The Fightin' Blue Hens' closed the deficit to a point twice, but each time the Patriots had an answer. Clinging to a 22-21 lead, sophomore Noelle Fanella stepped up to win two clutch points to thwart the Delaware comeback attempt. The first came by way of a kill and the second a service ace to give the Patriots' set point.

Leading 24-21, the Fightin' Blue Hens took the next two points to force CAA Coach of the Year Pat Kendrick to take a timeout to allow the team to regroup. Following the timeout, Goode demonstrated the reason she was selected the CAA Player of the Year with a booming kill off an assist from setter Fernanda Bartels to give Mason a 1-0 lead in the match.

The Patriots had an opportunity to take a commanding 2-0 lead, but were unable to hold on to a five-point lead in the second set. Trailing 18-13, Delaware won the next seven points to take a 20-18 lead. Mason came within a point at 24-23 after a kill by Goode but the Fightin' Blue Hens' Kim Stewart answered with a kill to tie the match at a set apiece.

Mason started slowly in the third set and was unable to overcome an early deficit. After George Mason won the first point of the set, Delaware won the next six points and 15 of the first 18 to take a 12-point lead. The Patriots trimmed the deficit to four at 24-20 but were unable to close the comeback, falling by a final score of 25-20 when Fanella hit the ball into the net for an attack error.

A balanced Patriot attack was led by Goode's 20 kills. Senior Rebecca Walter chipped in 14 and sophomore Kelsey Bohman finished with 10. Goode (20 kills, 14 digs), Bartels (44 assists, 15 digs) and Walter (14 kills, 18 digs) all registered double-doubles in the match.

Junior Katie Dennehy led Delaware with 16 kills. Setter Jess Chason recorded a match-high 55 assists, while libero Stephanie Barry led all players with 29 digs.