HARRISONBURG, Va. - Junior Lana Zonjic posted her fourth
double-double of the season to lead the George Mason women's volleyball team,
but it was not enough as the Patriots fell to James Madison, 3-1, on Saturday
evening at Sinclair Gymnasium. Set scores were 22-25, 29-27, 25-15, 25-12.
Mason (3-12, 1-1) was dealt its first Colonial Athletic
Association loss of the season while the Dukes improved to 9-7, 2-0 in
conference play.
Zonjic recorded 16 kills and 10 digs to lead the Patriots,
while redshirt freshman Lolade Owokoniran also reached double digits with 10
kills. Sophomore Stephi Matsushima had 13 digs, a team high, while Owokoniran led
all players with six blocks. Three Dukes had double-figure kills, led by 16
from Danielle Erb.
Mason won the first set behind better than .300 hitting, jumping
out to a 10-6 lead. It was a back and forth affair with seven ties and four
lead changes. Mason broke open a 18-all deadlock, using a 5-2 run and then
trading points before a Zonjic kill ended the set.
JMU started strong in the second with a 6-2 run, and would
lead by as many as seven before a 7-0 run by Mason tied the score at 19. After
it stayed within two points, Mason staved off set point and had a chance to go
up two sets to none after a block by Owokoniran and junior Laura Spencer.
Leading 25-24, Mason had a service arror and the Dukes capitalized, scoring
five of the last seven points to even the match.
The Dukes again started strong after the intermission with
an 8-3 run, but their lead would not be threatened any closer than two points.
Leading 13-10, JMU used a 7-1 run to pull away from Mason and take the third
set. Another strong start gave the Dukes all the ammunition they would need in
the final set, with the Patriots getting no closer than two at 10-8.
The Patriots continue their road trip next Friday night,
traveling to Boston for a 7 p.m. matchup at Northeastern.
