Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

• Maddie French recorded a personal best 11 kills against Georgia.
• Kelly Schaller led all players in assists against UNC Asheville (23) and tied for the match lead in assists against Georgia (28).
• Newcomer Pihla Jarvenpaa got off to fast start in her Mason career, tallying 10 kills, three blocks and a service ace between both Friday games.

 
FINAL SCORE: Mason 0, UNC Asheville 3 (Box Score)
Mikala Wells – 9 kills; Kelly Schaller – 23 assists (match high); Jordan Glass 10 digs.
 
FINAL SCORE: Mason 0, Georgia 3 (Box Score)
Maddie French – 11 kills (career high, match high); Kelly Schaller – 28 assists (t-match high); Catie Espinoza – 16 digs.
 
ATHENS, Ga. – The George Mason Women's volleyball team began the 2017 campaign with a pair of losses to UNC Asheville and Georgia respectively in the Benson Hospitality Challenge. After dropping the first set of game one 17-25, the two teams engaged in back-and-forth action to begin the set with four ties and two lead changes right off the bat. The Patriots showed spurts of being in control when they went on a 4-0 run midway through the set, capped off by one of Katrina Santos' six kills in the match. But ultimately UNC Asheville prevailed, taking set two 25-15.
             Mikala Wells tallied six kills in the third set to propel her to the top of the Mason kill leaders for the match. Down 21-13, Mason went on a 5-2 run to keep it close, but it was too little, too late as the Bulldogs ultimately took the set 25-19 for a 3-0 match victory.

             In the nightcap, Mason took on Georgia and dropped the first set 25-16. Things did not get off to a good start in set number two as Georgia led 10-3 at one point, but the Patriots didn't lay down battling back highlighted by a 3-0 run that included two Maddie French kills.
            After Mason dropped set number two 25-18, neither team led by more than three points in the back-and-forth beginning that saw the set knotted up at 14. Mason proceeded to tie the set four times, the last time coming at 18-18 before the Bulldogs pulled away with a 7-2 run en route to a 3-0 match victory.

            "Today was a good jumping off point for our program. We definitely got better as both matches went on and by the end of the night I was really proud of the way we were competing," head coach Aylene Ilkson said. "We definitely have a long road ahead of us but we are trying to stay in the moment and take it one point, one set and one match at a time. I'm optimistic that tomorrow we can build on today and get better and that's what we are focused on."

            George Mason will get right back to it Saturday morning against LIU Brooklyn (2-0) to kick off the day's slate of games at 10 a.m. The Patriots will then play their final match of the Benson Invitational Challenge against Presbyterian (0-2) at 4 p.m.
 
NOTABLE STATS

• In Friday's matches, Mason committed 40 errors compared to its opponents 18.
• Junior transfer middle blocker Pihla Jarvenpaa made her presence felt on the court both matches, logging 10 kills to begin her Mason career.
• In conclusion of Friday, sophomore outside hitter Bailey Williams is the team leader in kills per set (3.00) and attack percentage (.273).