FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason women's volleyball team dropped a tight back-and-forth match to Duquesne on Saturday night, 3-0.
 
Junior Katelyn Clarke led the Mason attack with nine kills to go along with five digs, two assists and a service ace. 
 
The Dukes (5-18, 2-9) never trailed in set one, amassing a 17-12 lead to force a Mason timeout. GMU would surge back, tying the match at 21 with help from kills by grad student Peyton Ehmke and sophomore Olyvia Kennedy. However, Duquesne would score four of the last five points to take the 1-0 lead.
 
The Patriots (6-16, 2-9) and Dukes would go back-and-forth in set two, with four lead changes and six ties, including at 23 all. Two Mason errors on the last two points would prove the difference and Duquesne took set two, 25-23.
 
Mason found momentum in set three, jumping out to a 7-2 lead after three-straight Duquesne errors. The Dukes battled back however, forcing seven Mason errors throughout the middle of the set. With the set tied at 20-20, three Duquesne kills and two Mason hitting errors led to the match victory for the Dukes.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Ehmke and Kennedy both registered seven kills on the night. Ehmke also led the Patriots with three total blocks, including two solos.
• Duquesne out-blocked Mason 13-3 on the night, forcing the Patriots into 29 hitting errors.
• Senior Stephanie Der and sophomore Ewelina Gacek led the Patriots in the back court, registering 13 and 11 digs, respectively.
• Sophomore Damiana Bova-Ford led Mason with 19 assists.

 
UP NEXT
Mason will take the short trip across the Potomac on Tuesday to wrap up the Revolutionary Rivalry home-away split with George Washington. First serve from the Charles E. Smith Center is set for 7 p.m. in Washington, D.C.