Nov. 12, 2010
Box Score
FAIRFAX, Va. - With its postseason future still in doubt, the George Mason women's volleyball team did what it needed Friday evening and that was to defeat Hofstra in the Patriots' penultimate match of the season. Mason topped the Pride in four sets, by scores of 25-17, 25-16, 20-25, 25-17.
Mason improved to 9-4 in Colonial Athletic Association play and 14-11 overall, while Hofstra fell to 10-23 overall and 2-11 in conference play. The Patriots now stand tied with James Madison in second place, with VCU fourth at 9-5 and Northeastern and Georgia State locked in a tie for fifth with a 8-5 record.
Senior Holly Goode led the Patriots with 11 kills while two-time reigning CAA Rookie of the Week Lana Zonjic contributed 10. Senior Fernanda Bartels added a double-double with 27 assists and a team-high 11 digs. Junior Kelsey Bohman led a Mason blocking unit which dominated the net by a 15.5-to-2 margin, as Bohman registered nine blocks. Nikki Kinnier had 14 kills to pace the Pride.
Mason out-hit the Pride by a .243-to-.033 margin in the match, and with Hofstra recording a -.059 mark in the first set, the Patriots were able to capitalize and take the early lead. Despite five ties, the Pride only led once at 6-5 while the Patriots responded there with a 6-0 run, part of a larger 13-3 scoring spree that pushed the advantage to 18-9. Hofstra got as close as 21-16 but Mason earned four out of five points to take set one.
In the second set, the Patriots led for much of the time and after a 9-1 run which erased a 5-4 Pride lead, Mason never saw its lead threatened closer than five points as the teams headed to the intermission with the Patriots up two sets.
Hofstra broke free of the Patriots in the third set with a 6-1 run to go up 12-8, and although Mason cut the gap to one point, the Pride held on for the duration as both teams swung .176 in the third set. The fourth set was closely contested as well, but Mason's four straight points broke open a 12-11 lead, and after the Pride made it 16-14 six straight points went the way of the Green and Gold. The Patriots converted their third match point opportunity on a kill by Bartels, earning the season sweep over the Pride.
The Patriots close out the regular season and control their own destiny, as a win on Saturday night against Northeastern would lock up a spot in the four-team CAA Tournament. First serve is set for 7 p.m., with Bartels and Goode set to be honored prior to the match as part of Senior Night.
