MEN'S VOLLEYBALL vs. Long Beach State
WHEN: Friday, January 19 | 4:30 p.m. EST
WHERE: Newark, N.J. 
RECORDS: George Mason (2-2); Long Beach State (3-0)
ALL-TIME SERIES: Long Beach leads, 7-1
LIVE STATS: Click Here
WATCH: Click Here

vs. Sacred Heart
WHEN: Saturday, January 20 | 5 p.m. EST
WHERE: Fairfield, Conn.
RECORDS: George Mason (2-2); Sacred Heart (0-4)
ALL-TIME SERIES: George Mason leads, 19-3
LIVE STATS: Click Here
WATCH: Click Here

FAIRFAX, Va. - The 17th-ranked George Mason men's volleyball team continues its season-opening road trip this weekend with a pair of matches. The Patriots take on No.2 Long Beach State on Friday in Newark, N.J. with the opening serve scheduled for 4:30 p.m. and then Mason will face Sacred Heart University on Saturday in Fairfield, Conn. with the opening serve slated for 5 p.m.

The Patriots have won their last two matches with victories over CSUN (Jan. 6) and UC Irvine (Jan. 9) in their final matches of their trip to California.

Last time out, the Patriots defeated then No. 3 UC Irvine in a five set thriller on Jan. 9 in Irvine, Cali.  Redshirt senior opposite hitter Jack Bolz led the team with 14 kills and redshirt sophomore Liam French also did his part, recording 11 kills and 4 service aces. The Patriots had 10 service aces while UC Irvine was only able to record 4 service aces as a team.  Junior setter Troy McDonald led the team in blocks (5), assists (29) and digs (7). He has recorded 99 assists over the first four matches of the season.

The Patriots and Long Beach have faced each other on eight occasions dating back to the 1984 season. The Patriots won the first meeting between the two teams, 3-1, while The Beach has won the each of the last seven matchups. Mason and Long Beach met last season with The Beach posting a 3-0 win on Jan. 21 at the East/West Challenge hosted by the Patriots at the Recreation Athletic Complex in Fairfax. Bolz and French each notched eight kills and while setter Georgi Zahariev led the team with 24 assists. 

Sacred Heart University has been a consistent rival for Mason throughout the years starting in 2011 with the two teams meeting twice each season except in 2020. Mason leads the all-time series, 19-3. The Pioneers were members of the EIVA Conference before departing for the Northeast Conference (NEC) at the conclusion of the 2021-22 season.

George Mason has a 15-match winning streak against Sacred Heart University. The Pioneers haven't defeated the Patriots since a 3-1 victory on Feb. 15, 2014 in Fairfield, Conn. 

SCOUTING LONG BEACH STATE

• Currently 3-0 with wins against Long Island (3-0), Saint Francis (3-1), and Merrimack (3-0)

• Long Beach was picked Big West Conference in the preseason coaches poll

• The Beach boasts five returning starters who were named AVCA All-Americans last season; Briggs, Knipe, Siapanis, Godbold and Torwie

• Finishes the 2023 season with an overall record of 21-5, including an mark of 9-1 against conference opponents

• As a team, The Beach has a hitting percentage of .365 and is averaging 11.8 kills per set

• As a team defensively, Long Beach is averaging 7.8 digs per set and 2.7 blocks per set

• Junior outside hitter Sotiris Siapanis leads the team in kills (29), redshirt-senior setter Aidan Knipe leads the squad in assists (68) and Sotiris Siapanis and Nathan Harlan lead the team in service aces (6)

• Senior libero Mason Briggs leads the team in digs (27) while freshman middle blocker Lazar Bouchkov has the most blocks (10)

SCOUTING SACRED HEART UNIVERSITY

• The Pioneers have dropped their first four matches of the season, falling to Stevens (1-3), Purdue Fort Wayne (1-3), Belmont Abbey College (0-3) and Barton College (2-3)

• Last season, Sacred Heart finished with an overall record of 12-13 including a mark of 7-7 against conference opponents

• The Pioneers are averaging 12.6 kills, 11.4 assists, 8.1 digs, 1.1 blocks and 1.1 aces per set, 11.4 assists per set

• Defensively, the Pioneers are averaging, 8.1 digs and 1.1 blocks per set 

• Senior outside hitter Patrick Mucherino leads the team in kills (55) and digs (22) and senior Teddy Payne paces the Pioneers in assists (91)

• Junior outside hitter Dylan McClung leads the club in blocks (6) while Carlos Santa Cruz leads in service aces (6)