FAIRFAX, Va. - The George Mason men's volleyball team cruised to a 3-0 victory over NJIT Saturday evening to close this three-game homestand undefeated and open EIVA conference play with a perfect 3-0 mark. The Patriots erased the Highlanders by set scores of 25-19, 25-19, 25-16 as Mason improved to 5-5 overall on the season and 3-0 in EIVA action. NJIT dropped to 2-9, 0-2.

Mark Jones led Mason with a game-high 19 kills with just one error on 26 attempts (.692) followed in double figures by Andrew Dentler with 10 kills. Patrick Maloney recorded a team-best seven digs, while Javier Perez logged 36 assists for the Patriots. No players reached double figures for NJIT as Chris Kaepernick led the team with seven kills and five digs as Matthew Lui recorded 21 assists.

The teams kept the first set close trading scores back-and-forth before Mason opened an 8-5 advantage on a Maloney kill. The Highlanders closed the set to 8-7 as neither team held more than a two-point lead until Mason grabbed a 20-17 advantage following a NJIT attack error. Mason closed the opening set with a 6-1 run to take set one, 25-19.

Mason dominated the second set, running out with a 17-8 lead before the Highlanders rallied with a 10-6 run to draw the set score to 23-18. Behind a Jones kill and NJIT service error, the Patriots were able to hold off the Highlanders and take the second set, 25-19, to lead the overall match, 2-0.

NJIT kept the third set close in the early going, trailing by one at 7-6 before Mason scored four straight for an 11-6 lead. The Highlanders came within one at 12-11, but Jones sparked a 11-3 run to bring the score to 23-14 in favor of the Patriots. Jones finalized the match for the Patriots with a kill to take the set and match at 25-16.

Mason opens a two-game road swing at Penn State on February 22 at 7 p.m.