BRONX, N.Y. - The George Mason women's volleyball team captured the first set, but fell to Fordham on Saturday evening, 3-1, in Atlantic 10 Conference action at Rose Hill Gym. Set scores were 21-25, 25-18, 25-22, 25-22.

Two Patriots (5-11, 1-1 A-10) reached double-digit kills, led by 13 from Morghan Martin and 10 for Jessie Greenslade. Lolade Owokoniran scored double figures with nine kills and seven block assists, while Laura Spencer led all players in the latter category with eight. Bernetta Moore recorded 17 digs, a match-high as well.

Four Rams (8-9, 1-1) scored in double figures, led by 25 kills and 13 digs by Lisa Hipp.

Mason trailed just once in the opening set and it came after the first point of the evening. The Patriots mounted a 7-2 run to lead by four, though the Rams came back to tie the score at 13-all.  They were even at 19-19, but kills by Greenslade and a Owokoniran/Martin block made the margin two points. Brianna O'Neil pulled the Rams to within one, but the Patriots closed the set with four of the next five points to take the early lead.

In the second set, meanwhile, the Patriots never gained the advantage. Mason was within a point at 6-5, but Fordham mounted a 9-3 run to take its largest lead, 15-8. Four straight points would again pull the Patriots to within 16-14, but after a Rams timeout, they scored seven of the next eight to provide enough cushion to even the match.

The third set was the closest by far, with 16 ties and eight changes of the lead. Essentially even through 20-all, Mason completed a 5-1 run with an Owokoniran kill to go up 22-20. The Rams answered, though, scoring five in a row to switch the advantage and earn victory in the set.

The scoring run continued into the fourth set as Fordham scored the first six points of the stanza. With an uphill battle to fight, the Patriots got as close as two points, concluding a 8-1 run at 15-13. The Rams pushed their lead back to five before another Patriots run, ending with a Martin kill leaving the score at 20-19. Four of the next five went to the home team to set up match point, but after a Martin kill and Spencer/Meredith Bush block extended the evening, Carina Thompson hit a kill to seal the win for Fordham.

Mason returns to action next Friday night in its A-10 home opener, welcoming Saint Louis University to the RAC. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m., in the Mason Athletics Game of the Week.

That match will feature free Jersey Mike's subs for students with valid ID and 1,000 free rally towels for all fans, courtesy of Mason Recreation and Mason Residence Life.