The George Mason men's volleyball team played its
first Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association road match of the season
on Friday night and the Patriots held off the challenge from the St. Francis
(Pa.) Red Flash, taking a 3-0 win to remain perfect in EIVA play. The Patriots
(7-2, 2-0 EIVA) have not dropped a set in EIVA action after beating St. Francis
(3-4, 0-2), 25-19, 25-22, 26-24.
Eric Lucas had 13 kills while Mark Jones added 12
for the Patriots. Piotr Dabrowski had six kills while hitting .556 and Shaun
Sibley had five kills while hitting .571. The pair combined for nine block
assists. Mason hit .238 while the Red Flash hit .202. Mason had the edge in
digs, 30-20, as well as blocks, 11-5.5. Logan Patterson had 13 kills while hitting .429 but
only one other St. Francis player hit better than .167.
Mason jumped out early in the match, taking 7-3 lead
in the first set. Leading 11-8, Mason went on a 4-0 run which proved crucial as
St. Francis later went on a 9-2 run to pull to within two at 20-18. But the
Patriots responded with three straight and five of six to win the opening set.
Mason fell behind early in the second set, trailing
6-4. The two teams were tied 13 times in the set before Mason broke a 16-16 tie
and held a lead of between one and three points down to the end. The final set
saw Mason build a huge lead only to watch St. Francis nearly steal the set.
Mason was ahead 19-12 when the Red Flash went on an 8-2 run to pull to within
one at 21-20. St. Francis finally tied the match at 24-24, but Lucas had a kill
and Adam Roche had an attack error for the Red Flash to end the contest.
The Patriots return to action tomorrow when they
play at Juniata at 7 p.m. The Patriots won an earlier meeting between the
schools in Fairfax, 3-2.
