No. 13 Patriots Face No. 11 NJIT in EIVA Semifinal

Men's Volleyball 4/21/2021 11:00:00 AM

WHEN: Thursday, 4:30 p.m. ET
WHERE: University Park, Pa. | Rec Hall
RECORDS: Mason (14-6, 11-5 EIVA), NJIT (13-5, 13-3 EIVA)
SERIES RECORD: Mason leads the all-time head-to-head series by a record of 56-11.
WATCH: Big Ten Network+
LIVE STATS
2021 EIVA TOURNAMENT CENTRAL
DIGITAL PROGRAM (PDF)

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The 13th-ranked George Mason men's volleyball team travels to Penn State's campus to face 11th-ranked NJIT on Thursday for the EIVA semifinal inside Rec Hall.

First serve is slated for 4:30 p.m. ET. The match will be streamed, free-to-watch, via Big Ten Network+.

Both teams have not played a match since April 3 (19 days).

The two teams were scheduled to play April 9-10, but COVID-19 testing complications for the Highlanders forced the two programs to mutually cancel due to safety concerns. The Patriots were also scheduled to host Sacred Heart last week in the EIVA's first round, but a positive COVID-19 test within Sacred Heart's program forced them to forfeit the contest.

LAST TIME OUT
The Patriots upset 8^th-ranked Penn State in five sets (25-20, 12-25, 25-19, 23-25, 15-11) on Saturday, April 3, in their final game of the regular season inside EagleBank Arena.

Senior Hayden Wagner recorded a season-high 21 kills in the victory. He hit 21-7-38 (.368) on the night. Wagner also earned a match-high three service aces, coupled with eight digs.

Fellow senior Luis Velez got the Patriot attack going, earning a career high 46 assists.

EIVA POSTSEASON HONORS
Nine Mason men's volleyball student-athletes earned EIVA postseason honors on April 13.

Seniors Brad Creamer, Sam Greenslade, Jack Reese and Hayden Wagner made All-EIVA Second Team, while redshirt sophomore Zach Talamoa was recognized as an All-EIVA honorable mention. Reese was also named to the EIVA All-Academic Team.

Redshirt freshmen Jack Bolz, Chey Cooper, Davis Kaderli and senior Mike Kapusta all made the EIVA All-Academic Team.

SCOUTING NO. 11 NJIT (13-5, 13-3 EIVA)
The Highlanders finished their regualr season sweeping Saint Francis (Pa.) on April 2-3.

Outside hitter Alvaro Gimeno totaled 28 kills on .358 hitting with six aces, 10 digs and five blocks against Saint Francis (Pa.) over the weekend. Gimeno's efforts earned him the EIVA Offensive Player of the Week honor (April 4).

Gimeno leads the Highlanders in kills (206), kills per set (3.38) and service aces (29) on the season.

On the defensive end, middle blocker Luca Berger leads the conference with 1.09 blocks per set (62 total blocks).

NJIT finished second in the EIVA with a 13-3 conference record and earned a first-round bye in the EIVA Tournament.

HISTORY vs. THE HIGHLANDERS
Mason leads the all-time head-to-head series by a record of 56-11 against NJIT.

The two programs met in early March of 2021, when the Highlanders defeated the Patriots in both weekend matches. NJIT won the first contest in four sets (25-21, 19-25, 23-25, 23-25) and won in straight sets in the second match (23-25, 18-25, 19-25).

A LOOK AHEAD
The winner of the match on Thursday will face the winner of the Penn State vs. Saint Francis match in the EIVA Championship, for a chance to make the NC Volleyball Championship. The EIVA Championship is slated for Saturday, April 24.

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