Mason (0-0) vs. American (0-0)
WHEN: Friday, 2 p.m.
WHERE: The RAC; Fairfax, Va.
LIVE STATS:  LINK
LIVE VIDEO:  LINK
 
Mason (0-0) vs. Georgetown (0-0)
WHEN: Friday 7 p.m.
WHERE: The RAC; Fairfax, Va.
LIVE STATS:  LINK
LIVE VIDEO:  LINK
 
Mason (0-0) vs. Howard (0-0)
WHEN: Sunday, 2 p.m.
WHERE: The RAC; Fairfax, Va.
LIVE STATS: LINK
LIVE VIDEO: LINK
 
FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason women's volleyball team will kick off the 2023 season by hosting three matches as a part of the DC Challenge.
 
American, Georgetown and Howard will all make the trip across the Potomac and into Virginia in the two-day tournament. Mason faced American and Howard last season, and will play Georgetown for the first time since 2018. In 2022, the Eagles swept Mason 3-0 in D.C. while Howard edged out a 3-1 win at home.
 
Admission is free for all Patriots' women's volleyball home matches played at the RAC and all home games will be streamed nationally on ESPN+.
 
PATRIOT POINTS

• Mason returns 11 letterwinners while welcoming six newcomers in four freshmen and two graduate transfers
• The Patriots will be led by the senior class of outside hitter Katelyn Clarke, setter Grace Kristofic and right side Taylor Terry
• The incoming class is comprised of freshmen Chelsea Colter, Fiona Rigby, Autumn Martinez-Robinson and Caroline Rodriguez, as well as graduate transfers Gracie Halley (Siena) and Nani Spaar (Santa Clara)
• Halley, a libero/defensive specialist hailing from Temecula, Calif., led Siena with 561 digs a season ago. Spaar, an outside hitter from Hilo, Hawaii, registered 101 kills and 15 blocks in 2022
• Leading the offense is junior Olyvia Kennedy, who led the Patriots with 258 kills and 272.0 points a season ago. The 2021 A-10 All-Rookie honoree also registered 22.0 blocks and 41 digs
• 2022 All-Rookie selection Gabriella Gelfound returns to the court as a starting setter/right side after a standout freshman season. She led Mason with 497 assists and 31 service aces. She was also second in digs (203) and third in kills (169) and blocks (58.0)

 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
American returns several starters from last year's 15-15 (7-9 Patriot) squad while adding seven newcomers, including three-time Patriot League First Team honoree and two-time Patriot League Preseason Player of the Year Zeynep Uzen, who enters her fifth year as an outside hitter. In 2022, she led the Eagles with 392 kills and 4.75 points per set. Classmate Carlie Fikse led American with 98 blocks on the year in a team-high 110 sets played, and was the only Eagle to start and play in all 30 matches a season ago.
 
The upperclassmen defensive duo of Rachael Bennett and Bridget Javitch both appeared in over 100 sets and averaged over 3.00 digs/set. Javitch was also third on the squad with 24 service aces. The Eagles also return setter Esma Sipahi, who was second on the team with 396 assists while also contributing 173 digs and 42 blocks. 
 
Georgetown went 4-25 last season, including two wins in Big East play. The Hoyas return their top offensive player in Mary Grace Goyena, who led the team with 314 kills and 3.27 points per set after starting all 29 matches in 2022. Despite losing their top setter from last season, Georgetown returns Lilly Costigan, who appeared in 15 matches with 13 starts and was second on the team with 316 assists.
 
Defensively, starting libero Karis Park returns to the court after leading the Hoyas with 449 digs in all 108 sets last season. Also returning on offense are Giselle Williams and Peyton Wilhite who were third (164) and fourth (122) respectively in kills last season. In addition to the 13 returners, Georgetown will also welcome five newcomers to the court in 2023.
 
Preseason MEAC favorite Howard returns several top players from last season's regular season champion team (20-10, 12-2), including MEAC preseason player of the year Rya McKinnon, who led the conference in average points (3.83) and kills per set (3.37) before being named the 2022 MEAC Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year.
 
Joining her are MEAC preseason picks Jennifer Bolden and Kayla Diaz. Averaging 10.61 assists a set from over 1,000 assists, Diaz earned MEAC Co-Setter of the Year at the conclusion of last year's season, while adding a team-high 47 service aces and a team third-best 185 digs. Diaz was second on the team with 203 assists to go with 47.0 blocks.
 
UP NEXT
Mason will travel north to Seton Hall for the Seton Hall Invitational beginning on Friday, Sept. 1. The Patriots will kick off the Invitational with NJIT at 11 a.m. and then play the host Pirates at 5 p.m. They will close the weekend on Saturday against Saint Peter's at 12 p.m.