FAIRFAX, Va. - George Mason battled to take a 2-1 lead after dropping the first set to No. 7 Lewis, but the Flyers rallied for a 3-2 win (18-25, 27-25, 25-23, 16-25, 7-15) Saturday night in the RAC. Michael Kvidahl led Mason with 21 kills as the Patriots dipped to 4-8 with the non-conference loss and Lewis improved to 10-3.

Mark Jones added 12 kills to the board for Mason, while Pete Cuppernull recorded 43 assists and Piotr Dabrowski owned seven blocks. Patrick Maloney led the way with nine digs. For Lewis, Jay Petty, Aaron Flick and Ian Karbiener each contributed double-digit kills and BJ Boldog recorded 52 assists. Petty also recorded 11 digs and Flick picked up 10 blocks (one solo).

The Flyers jumped out with a 10-5 lead in the opening set and controlled the pace the rest of the way for a 25-18 opening set victory. A Dabrowski kill made it 12-8 in favor of the visitors before Lewis took five of the next seven points for a 17-11 advantage. Leading 22-15, four attack errors followed by two service errors ended the opening set.

Mason evened the match score grabbing the second set 27-25 led by four kills from Kvidahl. Lewis took an early 7-4 lead before Mason evened the set score at 11-all. The teams continued to trade points and toss the lead back-and-forth before the Flyers took a 23-21 advantage on a set error by the Patriots. Hunter Stevens and Kvidahl followed with kills to even the score at 23-23 before the teams tied it at 24-all. Lewis fought off a set point, but the Patriots prevailed 27-25 on a pair of Flyer attack errors.

In the third set, the margin remained close before Lewis opened a 17-12 advantage. Mason responded with a 10-2 run to erase its deficit and take a 22-19 lead. The Patriots closed out the set with a 25-23 victory for a 2-1 match lead.

Lewis would force a deciding fifth set with a 25-16 fourth set victory. Flick and Petty each contributed four kills in the set as the Flyers brushed off a tight start and took control of the set, pulling out with a 16-12 lead. The Patriots pulled to within three at 17-14, but Lewis held Mason to two points the remainder of the set, closing out the 25-16 triumph.

Mason never held the lead in the final set as the Flyers opened with a quick 7-3 lead and never relinquished control. Kvidahl made it 9-5 with a kill, but Lewis closed the match on a 6-2 run to seal the set, 15-7, and match, 3-2.