GAME PREVIEW: George Mason University at George Washington University
Friday, Nov. 3, 2017 at 7:00 p.m.
Charles E. Smith Center (Capacity: 5,000)
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FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason University women's volleyball team will play its final road match of the regular season on Friday against George Washington. Junior libero
Catie Espinoza will enter the night nine digs shy of 1,000 for her career.
Friday marks the second time this season the two teams have played each other, an occurrence that has happened each year since the Patriots joined the Atlantic 10 in 2013. 2017 marks the second year in a row that the second match of the season is played in Washington, with last year's second matchup being the last match of the regular season. 2017 marks the second year in a row the two teams have played in November.
SERIES HISTORY
The two Patriots and Colonials last played on Oct. 6 where George Washington came away victorious in five sets. The updated all-time series record favors the Colonials at 30-8. In the previous matchup this season,
Bailey Williams recorded 21 kills, her second highest total this season. Mason still has not defeated the Colonials since Aug. 24, 2007.
NEWS AND NOTES
- Catie Espinoza enters the match with 991 career digs, needing nine to become the sixth player in Mason women's volleyball history to reach 1,000.
- If she reaches the milestone Friday, she'll become the fastest player in program history to reach 1,000 digs. Espinoza has currently played in 289 sets, where Barbara Kovacs, the current fastest to 1,000, did it in 345 sets.
- Espinoza would also be the first player to accomplish the feat in her junior year.
- Bailey Williams is coming off a performance of 4.43 kills per set in the Patriots two matches against La Salle and Duquesne. Williams' 18 kills against Duquesne was the highest total in a three-set match a Patriot has posted since 2012.
- Williams propelled herself to seventh in the A-10 with a kills per set average of 3.06. For conference-only play, she ranks fifth at 3.16 kills per set.
- She is one of eight players in the A-10 to have a kills per set average of over 3.00.
- Mason's middle blockers have been on point with their attack as of late. In the last two matches, Jordan Glass has recorded a .368 hit percentage. Sydney Fanoga holds a .363 hit percentage in her last five matches, including the La Salle match where her hit percentage was .500 (12-2-20).
- Last time against the Colonials, Glass recorded a then-career high 13 kills. In the last three matches she's appeared in against GW, Glass has compiled 30.5 points. In the last meeting that took place in Washington, Fanoga posted 11 kills, 1 BS and 1 BA (14 points).
- Emily Konchan ranks sixth in the A-10 in assists per set (7.93). She tallied her 500th assist against La Salle on Oct. 27.
- Mikala Wells' last double-double came against George Washington earlier this season. She recorded registered 12 kills and 12 assists. With Williams also recording a double-double, that Oct. 6 match marked the only time this season the Patriots have had two players record a double-double in the same match.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
George Washington Colonials | 9-18 (5-6 Atlantic 10)
George Washington is currently on a two-match winning streak and are winners of three of its last five. With three matches left in the regular season, the Colonials are on the brink of
earning a spot in the Atlantic 10 tournament, currently sitting at sixth in the conference. A win Friday would give the Colonials their 13
th consecutive season with at least 10 wins. Leading the Colonials is reining Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week Sydney Welch – one of five A-10 players to record 400 digs this season, as well as their Kelsey Clark (2.39 kills per set) and Aaliya Davidson (2.29 kills per set).
