Fairfax, Va.- George Mason ends the New Jersey trip with two wins out of two games played. Defeating NJIT in the first conference game of the season and winning against FDU to bring back the overall record to 5-5. 
 
The first set began with a strong introduction from the GMU offensive line scoring 5 unanswered points to take an early 5-0 lead. FDU were able to score four points to come back into the game, 6-4, but Sam Peters ended that attack with a kill to maintain a three-point lead. FDU were forced to call a timeout after Colin Heath, Omar Hoyos, and Jack Bolz achieved more kills to extend the lead to 15-8. Sam Peters and Colin Heath put in the defensive work as well, blocking an attempt by Ellis Carballo to lead by ten points, 20-10. Omar Hoyos collected the final four points needed to complete the set and to register a 1-0 lead. Colin Heath and Omar Hoyos ended the first set with seven kills each and a hitting percentage of .875. 
 
FDU had a different game face entering the second set not allowing Mason to run away with points, maintaining a 7-7 tie. FDU called an early timeout with Mason still ahead, 10-9, and it worked positively to give them their first lead of the game. Mason regained their first set momentum and went ahead by four points, 21-17. With three unanswered points and a service error by FDU's Palacio, GMU was able to walk away with the second set. FDU gave away seven errors which became a determining factor. The Patriots only had two errors and a hitting percentage of .292. 
 
Mason scored the first point of the third set but the Knights scored four consecutive points right after to achieve their biggest lead of the game, 4-1. FDU were not allowing Mason to regain a lead and eventually forced the Patriots to call a timeout. Jackson Herbert, Eamonn Testerman, and Hayden Karpinski was subbed into the game in hopes to turn the score around. Hayden Karpinski became an important piece to the offense recording two kills, participating in all the plays, and turning the game around to sweep FDU at their home. Mason had a hitting percentage of .433 and recorded 17 kills in comparison to FDU's 11 kills. 

Quotable:
"A nice weekend of work by our boys", said head coach Jay Hosack. "We were down in set three, as FDU was giving us all they had and we have been practicing being down in sets and staying poised. I like how we responded late in the last set".
 
By the Numbers:

• Senior outside hitter Colin Heath led the team again in kills with 13
• Senior outside hitter Omar Hoyos was in defensive duty recording two blocks and seven digs
• Omar Hoyos also achieved two aces, 12 blocks, and five digs for the offensive end
• Junior setter Troy McDonald adds 34 more assists to his name, now has 256 assists this season
• George Mason had an impressive hitting percentage of .476 meanwhile FDU had .243 as their hitting percentage

Up Next:
A two-game series against the University of Charleston at West Virginia will be the next challenge for the Patriots. The conference games will be played on February 24th at 7 pm and the 25th at 1 pm.