LONG BEACH, Calif. - The George Mason men's volleyball team
bounced back from a two-set deficit to force a fifth set for the second time in
as many days but again fell short as they dropped a 3-2 match to No. 3 Long Beach State
in the final game of the Active Ankle Classic.
The 49ers won with set scores of 25-20, 25-21, 20-25, 23-25,
15-9 to improve to 15-6, while Mason fell to 9-10 on the season.
Long Beach jumped out to an early 5-1 lead in the opening
set, maintaining that all the way to 4-8. Mason worked its way back into the
set, going on a 5-0 run keyed by kills from Patrick Maloney, Shaun Sibley and Mark Jones, a block assist from Jones and Sibley, and LBSU attack error to grab the
lead, 9-8. It remained a close set, with the two squads exchanging points and
the lead, arriving at a 19-18 49ers advantage before the home team gained
control with three consecutive points and a 6-2 scoring advantage to take the
set, 25-20.
The Patriots kept it close in the second set, trailing by as
many as three points before rallying to tie the score at 11-11 and taking the
lead, 13-12. However, the 49ers strung together three consecutive points to
take the lead (16-13) and force a Mason timeout. LBSU continued to lead and
extended its lead to four points, 21-18, before the Patriots climbed their way
back into the match with a kill by Maloney, block assist by Pat Sibley and
Maloney and a Jonathan Lutz service ace to pull to within a point, 21-20. It
was all the closer Mason would get as the 49ers held on to its advantage and
ended with a 4-1 run to take the second set, 25-21.
Facing a two set deficit, Mason made a comeback in the
third. Trailing by two points, 11-9, the Patriots used a 5-0 run to assume a
14-11 lead it would not surrender the rest of the way. Long Beach tied the
score twice down the stretch, but Mason responded each time, including a 3-0
run to break a 17-17 draw and put the Patriots ahead for good as they won,
25-20.
The Patriots' momentum continued in the fourth set, as both
teams battled back and forth. The 49ers held a 14-13 advantage before Mason
used a 5-0 run to take an 18-14 lead. Long Beach eventually tied the set at
19-19 and the two squads exchanged points down the stretch before Shaun Sibley
came up with two big kills to close the set and give Mason the 25-23 victory,
forcing a decisive fifth set.
Both teams clashed in the fifth set, exchanging points
before Mason took the lead for the last time at 9-8 with a kill by Javier
Perez. However, the 49ers shut the door, going on a 7-0 scoring run to close
the set and win, 15-9.
Kvidahl and Jones were the lone patriots with double-digit
kills, finishing with 19 and 17, respectfully. Perez added 49 assists, while
Pat Sibley had a match-high nine blocks and Max McFarland added a match-best 16
digs.
For LBSU, Trevor Crabb finished with a match-best 23 kills
and Connor Olbright dished out 52 assists.
The Patriots return to action next weekend, hosting Juniata
and Lees-McRae in non-conference action at The RAC.
