George Mason GMU 6-8,2-0 Atlantic 10

Rhode Island URI 3-11,0-2 Atlantic 10

George Mason GMU

6-8,2-0 Atlantic 10

Final

Sep. 23, 2023

Rhode Island URI

3-11,0-2 Atlantic 10

Set Scores
Team	1	2	3	4	F
George Mason GMU	25	19	27	25	(3)
Rhode Island URI	17	25	25	18	(1)

Box Score

Patriots Sweep Rams, 2-0 in Conference for First Time Since 2011

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball | 9/23/2023 3:35:00 PM

KINGSTON, R.I. – Highlighted by the third-most service aces in a match in school history, the George Mason women's volleyball team rolled over Rhode Island, 3-1, for the second day in a row.

Ewelina Gacek led a trio of players that registered career-highs in the service ace category, tallying a career-high seven of her own, good for third-most by an individual player in a single match in program history. Gracie Halley (4) and Olyvia Kennedy (4) also matched or set career-highs as well.

The match opened with the two teams trading points until Gacek stepped up to the service line after a Chelsea Colter kill. The junior rattled off three-straight aces to put the Patriots ahead for good. The Rams (3-11, 0-2) tied the match up at 13, but kills from Gacek and Gabriella Gelfound gave Mason the lead for good. After a service error by Mason brought Rhode Island back within three, 20-17, the Patriots used kills from three different players to close out the set, 25-17.

Rhode Island jumped out to a quick 5-1 lead in set two, but the Patriots (6-8, 2-0) battled back to tie the set at 12-all led by two aces from Kennedy. However, a short 5-0 run by the Rams gave them a comfortable six-point lead which they held until the end of the set to tie the match at 1-1.

Nine ties and three lead changes highlighted the third set, which needed extra points to determine a winner. Mason led by four in the middle of the frame, but Rhode Island battled back to tie it at 15-all and force a George Mason timeout. Back-to-back kills from Camille Larkin would push the Mason lead back to three, but the Rams would battle back again to take a 25-24 lead. After a Rams' service error tied the set at 25, freshman Chelsea Colter called game with back-to-back blocks to give Mason the win.

With set four tied at 8-8, a kill from Olyvia Kennedy sparked a 10-1 run for the Patriots. Gacek and Halley combined for four service aces and Kennedy registered four kills during the run and Mason led 18-9 to force a Rams' timeout. Rhode Island would go on a short five-point run to put pressure on Mason, but Gacek capped the match in fitting fashion with her career-best seventh ace to give the Patriots the win.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Along with her career-high-tying four service aces, Gracie Halley also matched her career-high in assists with nine.
Caroline Rodriguez and Olyvia Kennedy led the Mason offense with 11 kills each
Gabriella Gelfound had another well-rounded day, leading the Patriots with 18 assists to go with 13 digs, seven kills, two blocks and two service aces
Freshman Chelse Colter had a solid day at the net with a team-high five blocks to go with five kills at a .364 clip
The Patriots' 2-0 start is the best since 2011 and the first such start as a member of the Atlantic 10 conference. In the CAA in 2011, the Patriots beat current A-10 member VCU and William & Mary. Mason also won those games 3-1