FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason women's volleyball team dropped its opening match of the Mason Invitational to Morgan State on Friday night at the Recreation Athletic Complex.
Mason (2-4) struggled to put the match away in the final two frames as Morgan State (1-9) defeated the Patriots in five sets. The Patriots were unable to contain Morgan State freshman Madison Grace who finished with 25 kills at an efficient .500 hitting percentage (25-3-44).
Mason had four players post double-digit kills in the match:
Peyton Ehmke (18),
Olyvia Kennedy (16),
Katie Parmalee (14) and
Katelyn Clarke (10). Ehmke's 18 kills marked a new career high for the senior middle blocker.
Senior setter
Erin Derick dished out a career-high 56 assists to guide Mason to a season-best hitting percentage of .301. She added a season-best four blocks in the loss.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- The Patriots hit an impressive .600 in the first set with 13 kills and only one attacking error. The strong offensive performance led Mason to the first-set victory, 25-15.
- Morgan State put down 15 kills (.382) and posted four blocks to take a close second set, 25-23. The Bears went on an 8-2 scoring run in the middle of the frame, and fought off a late surge by the Patriots.
- The Patriots jumped out to a 14-4 advantage in the third set and maintained their lead for the remainder of the stanza, 25-17.
- After leading by as many as six (12-6), Mason gave up eight straight points to the Bears. Morgan State used the run to take the lead for the remainder of the set, 25-22.
- Morgan State ended the fifth and final set on a 5-0 scoring run to win the set, 16-14, and match, 3-2.
- Mason posted 10 service aces, including a season-best five from freshman Morgan Nguyen. She has registered an ace in four straight matches for the Patriots.
- Three Patriots hit above .300 in the match: Parmalee (.520), Ehmke (.429) and Kennedy (.333).
UP NEXT
Mason will face Coppin State at 7 p.m. on Saturday at the RAC.
