RICHMOND, Va. – Despite a valiant effort from the George Mason women's volleyball team, the team fell just short of victory in a five-set loss to VCU.
 
After flirting with a triple-double several times this season, sophomore Gabriella Gelfound eclipsed double-digits in three stat categories today, tallying 21 assists, 11 digs and a team-high 11 kills. The sophomore also set a career-high with seven blocks.
 
The Rams (13-10, 10-3) came out swinging, quickly building an eight-point lead to force a Mason timeout leading 13-5. VCU registered a match-high 18 kills with just one error throughout the stanza as it cruised to a 25-15 set win.
 
Trailing 5-3, the Patriots (7-18, 3-10) used a 5-0 run led by three-straight blocks from Chelsea Colter to take a two-point lead. Throughout the middle of the set, the two teams traded short runs and the lead until the Patriots led 19-13 and force a VCU timeout. The Rams would go on a 7-0 run, capitalizing on several Mason errors. A block by Gelfound and Camille Larkin tied the set at 22-all, but VCU closed it on a 3-0 run to take a 2-0 match lead.
 
Set three was a back-and-forth battle featuring 10 ties. The Patriots went on a 4-0 run sparked by a Larkin kill to take a 15-11 lead at the media timeout, but VCU slowly climbed back into the set, as the teams traded the lead three times down the stretch. Tied at 22-all, Nani Spaar's fifth kill of the set led Mason's 3-1 run to close the set with a win to extend the match.
 
Trailing 10-7 in the fourth set, Spaar stepped up to the service line to anchor a 10-point run for the Patriots. Gelfound and Chelsea Colter combined for four blocks and four kills to force a VCU timeout. The Rams would not go quietly however, as they slowly climbed back into the set, getting within one point at 23-22. However, Gelfound's fifth kill of the set closed the door to force the fifth set.
 
VCU jumped out to an early 5-1 lead in the fifth set and never looked back. Strong defense from the Rams stifled the Mason attack to a game-low hitting percentage as the hosts held off the Patirots for the 3-2 win.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• For the second-straight game, rookie Chelsea Colter tallied a career-high nine blocks and now leads the Patriots with 73.0 blocks on the season
• Ewelina Gacek also tallied double-figure kills with 10, while Camille Larkin led the Patriots with a .412 clip with nine kills
• Gracie Halley led the Mason defense with a game-high 18 digs
• Pacing the offense was Grace Kristofic, who notched a team-best 23 assists to go with 13 digs for her second-straight double-double

 
UP NEXT
The Patriots return to the court against VCU tomorrow at 1 p.m. in Richmond.