Nov. 7, 2010
Box Score
ATLANTA - Three Patriots registered double-doubles but the George Mason women's volleyball team dropped a 3-1 decision at Georgia State on Sunday afternoon in Colonial Athletic Association action. Set scores were 16-25, 26-24, 25-22, 25-23.
The loss leaves the Patriots 8-4 in CAA play (13-11 overall) while the Panthers improved to 8-4 in league play and 14-12 on the season. Both teams are now tied with James Madison and Northeastern in a four-way tie for third place, with only the top four teams advancing to the CAA Championship.
Freshman Lana Zonijc scored a team-high 14 kills along with 13 digs to pace the Mason offense, which also got double-digit kill totals from senior Holly Goode and junior Noelle Fanella who each chipped in 12. Senior Fernanda Bartels tallied 26 assists along with 10 digs, a category which junior Kelly McCarter led all Mason players in with 16. Freshman Samantha Hughes registered a match-best four service aces.
Ashley Jones led a quartet of GSU players in double figures with 15 kills along with a match-high 25 digs.
Mason out-hit the Panthers by a .325-to-.150 margin in the first set, in which the Patriots jumped out to an 8-2 lead and, other than allowing the day's opening point, never trailed. Mason's lead grew as large as nine at 24-15 and Fanella converted the second set point opportunity to take an early one-set lead.
Georgia State had the hot start in the second set, opening on a 10-1 tear. Mason answered back and cut the gap to 14-13, but the Panthers continued to lead nearly to the end. Up 24-20, GSU gave up four straight points to the Green and Gold to tie the score at 24, but two straight Georgia State scores leveled the match.
The third set featured five tie scores but only one lead change, as Mason led early by a 6-4 score. The Panthers overtook the Patriots, though, and with the score 23-22 in favor of the home team, two straight GSU points sent the third set to the Panthers.
Mason had a 4-2 lead early in the fourth set, but an 8-2 run by the Panthers gave them a lead they would not relinquish until the Patriots tied the score at 20 with five straight points. Mason was down by only one point at 23-22 and 24-23, but a GSU block was the game-winning point as the Panthers avenged a sweep by Mason just over a month ago in Fairfax.
Mason will close out the 2010 regular season and look to lock up its place in the postseason when it hosts Hofstra and Northeastern this Friday and Saturday. Both matches are set to begin at 7 p.m. at the RAC.
