George Mason University Athletics

Ball St. BSU 3-2,0-0 MIVA

George Mason GMU 3-2,0-0 EIVA

Ball St. BSU

3-2,0-0 MIVA

Final

Jan. 23, 2020

George Mason GMU

3-2,0-0 EIVA

Set Scores
Team	1	2	3	4	5	F
Ball St. BSU	24	16	25	25	16	(2)
George Mason GMU	26	25	19	19	18	(3)

Box Score

Rafael Suanes/George Mason Univ.

Patriots Hold Off Ball State in Five Sets

Game Recap: Men's Volleyball | 1/23/2020 9:48:00 PM

Box Score (PDF)

FAIRFAX, Va. -The George Mason men's volleyball team (3-2, 0-0) earned their third win of the season in five-set fashion (26-24, 25-16, 19-25, 19-25, 18-16) over Ball State on Thursday night inside the RAC.

"It was not pretty volleyball tonight," head coach Jay Hosack said. "But somehow the boys found a way to win against a scrappy Ball State team. We will learn a lot from this match."

The Patriots found themselves ahead 2 sets to none to start the match, but the Cardinals made adjustments that brought the game to a fifth and final set. Despite falling in the third and fourth sets, Mason battled back to win the fifth set and secure the home victory.

Mason notched a season high in kills (67), lead by sophomore Richie Hoff, who had a career high 20 kills, and redshirt junior Bradley Creamer, who had a career high 16 kills. The team also recorded a season high 52 digs, led by Creamer who posted a career high in that category as well (15).

In the first set, the Patriots found themselves down 24-20 but were able to earn the final six points of the set and win the first game of the night by a score of 26-24. Hoff finished the set off with a service ace to give Mason the lead then followed it with a kill to end the set.

That momentum carried over into the second set as Mason took control, jumping out to an early 6-1 lead, and never surrendered the lead winning the set by nine points (25-16). Mason hit a match best .481 in the second set.

Changes on both sides of the court were made by the Cardinals, as Ball State won the next two sets by a score of 19-25, forcing a fifth set.

In a fifth set that saw match point four times and nine ties, the Patriots fought back from as much as a three-point deficit to get the final set tied at 10 points apiece. Four kills down the stretch for Mason lead them to a five-set victory.

UP NEXT

The Patriots remain home to face No. 11 Purdue Fort Wayne on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET inside the Recreation Athletic Complex (RAC).

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