FAIRFAX, Va. – The Patriots stunned the Golden Eagles in straight sets, earning their first conference win of the season. The Patriots also handed the Golden Eagles their first loss of the season.
After a tough loss last night, the Patriots were ready and poised to find a different result. They knew they had achieved something no one else had, taking two sets from the Golden Eagles who had won every other game 3-0. The team believed they could beat them, and it showed.
In the first, the Patriots started out slow, falling behind 8-4. They would then take seven out of the next eight points, in part due to two
Jack Bolz kills and an ace and kill by
Liam French. The Golden Eagles would resurge, snatching six straight points to take the lead at 16-14. The Patriots were uninterested in letting this set get away from them and won nine out of the last 12 points to win 25-21.
The Patriots were able to minimize some of their errors in the second which led to a dominating score of 25-18. Four different Patriots tallied a block assist while the Golden Eagles had none. Alongside that, The Golden Eagles suffered seven attacking errors while Mason only had two.
The third set went neck and neck. Each team would go on a run of at least four points, yet neither team could pull away. With the score tied at 22, the Patriots refused to give an inch.
Jack Bolz and
Omar Hoyos would deliver back-to-back kills with Bolz sealing the deal with an ace at 25-22.
After facing much adversity in the early portion of the season, the Patriots are winners in three of their last five and just beginning conference play.
By the Numbers
Up Next
The Patriots will face North Greenville next Friday at 7:00 P.M. in the RAC.
