Sept. 21, 2009

RICHMOND, Va. - Junior Fernanda Bartels played an instrumental role in guiding the George Mason women's volleyball team to two wins this past weekend, and for her efforts the Colonial Athletic Association has recognized her as the Co-Defensive Player of the Week. It is the first weekly accolade for the Belo Horizonte, Brazil native in her career, and the second this season for the Patriots.

Bartels was second on the team in digs and blocks this past weekend and tied for the lead with five aces, as she helped lead the Patriots to sweeps over Princeton and Wright State before falling in five sets to West Virginia. She tallied 36 digs (3.27 dps) and 11 blocks (1.0 bps) while also contributing 101 assists (9.18 aps).

She posted double-doubles in two of the matches, recording 31 assists and 13 digs in the win over the Raiders while adding 40 assists and 14 digs in the loss to the Mountaineers.

Bartels currently leads the CAA in assists and is second is assists per set, registering 540 and 9.47, respectively. Two weeks prior, Mason's Kelsey Bohman earned the same award.

The Patriots, who have posted the most non-conference victories since 1996, return to action on Friday night when they travel to Delaware to open conference playa at 7 p.m.