WHEN: March 12, 2019
WHERE: Firestone Fieldhouse (Malibu, Calif.)
OPPONENT: #6 Pepperdine – 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT)
LIVE STATS
LIVE STREAM
 
FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason men's volleyball team travels to Malibu, Calif., to take on #6 Pepperdine at 10 p.m. ET on Tuesday at the Firestone Fieldhouse. The Patriots (12-4, 6-2 EIVA) will battle the Waves (13-5, 4-2 MPSF) for just the 10th time in program history.
 
Tuesday's match kicks off a weeklong road trip out west for the Patriots. Mason will also face Grand Canyon on Friday and Saturday in Phoenix, Ariz. 
 
STAYIN' PUT AT #14
For the third consecutive week, the Patriots check in at #14 in this week's AVCA DI-DII Coaches Poll, announced by the AVCA on Monday. 
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Patriots earned back-to-back victories over Sacred Heart to extend their winning streak over the Pioneers to 11 straight matches. Mason hit a season-high .470 against the Pioneers on March 1. Hayden Wagner notched 16 kills while Luis Velez dished out 38 assists in the sweep.
 
The following night, Velez had a career night in Mason's four-set win over SHU. He tabbed career highs in assists (44), digs (14) and blocks (4). 
 
VELEZ HONORED
Velez was named EIVA Defensive Player of the Week on March 4 for his performances against Sacred Heart. It was the first weekly honor of the setter's career. So far this season, Mason has earned a share of five of the nine weekly awards. 

OFF THE BLOCK PLAYER OF THE MONTH
Senior Will Calaman was named Off the Block's National Player of the Month for February. He received more than 1,500 combined votes in both rounds. The libero recorded double-digit digs in four February matches, including a season-high 12 digs in a sweep against No. 12 Purdue Fort Wayne on Feb. 9. He also had a team-high 10 digs as Mason swept Penn State on Feb. 22.

The Off the Block National Player of the Month recognizes the best individual performances from NCAA Division I-II men's volleyball players during the month and gives fans from around the world the chance to determine who was the best player through online voting. It is also the only college men's volleyball national monthly award.
 
UP NEXT
The Patriots continue its road trip out west with matches against Grand Canyon at 9 p.m. ET on March 15 and March 16. 
 
SCOUTING THE WAVES
Pepperdine: 13-5, 4-2 MPSF
The Pepperdine Waves recently participated in the Outrigger Invitational in Honolulu, Hawai'i. The Waves earned victories over Ball State and King (Tenn.); but ultimately fell to tournament host #2 Hawai'i in straight sets on March 9. 
 
The Waves are a perfect 6-0 at home this season. On the road, Pepperdine is 5-5 with all of its losses coming against ranked opponents. 
 
Mason will look to earn its first-ever win over the Waves. The Patriots and Waves have faced off nine times in program history, with the Waves claiming all but two of the 29 sets. Last season, the Patriots fell to the Waves in straight sets on Jan. 26, 2018 in Fairfax, Va.