UC Riverside UCR 0-4,0-0 Big West

George Mason GMU 1-2,0-0 Atlantic 10

UC Riverside UCR

0-4,0-0 Big West

Final

Sep. 01, 2024

George Mason GMU

1-2,0-0 Atlantic 10

Set Scores
Team	1	2	3	4	5	F
UC Riverside UCR	18	25	25	18	8	(2)
George Mason GMU	25	17	23	25	15	(3)

Box Score

Art Pittman/George Mason Univ.

Patriots Win Home Opener for First Win of the Season

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball | 9/1/2024 6:33:00 PM

FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason women's volleyball team beat UC Riverside 3-2 at their home opener on Sunday. The Patriots overcame a 2-1 deficit to win two straight games and take the series: 25-18, 17-25, 23-25, 25-18, 15-8.

The first set started slow, but the Patriots found their footing which resulted in a 4-0 run and an 8-7 lead. The Patriots never lost the lead from there on out, jumping out to a comfortable lead, and ending the set with back-to-back service aces from senior Camille Larkin.

Early on in set two, the Highlanders seemed to have control. After a long pause for two challenges to be resolved, the Patriots took the momentum and scored 5 straight to take the lead 10-7. A few errors put UCR back in the game, and then they went on a 7-1 run. In the first few seconds of her season, graduate student Nani Spaar threw down a huge kill to break Riverside's serve, but it proved not enough as the Highlanders finished the set, 25-17.

Set three was the closest of the matches, with neither team leading by more than a few points. It looked like UCR would break away after a four-point swing, but the Patriots dug deep and brought the game within one to make it 23-24. A service error by freshman Jordan Lucas ended the set, 25-23 Highlanders.

Down 2-1, the Patriots entered set four with the hopes to force a fifth set, and after UCR scored first, the Patriots controlled the rest of the set, never trailing, and winning the set by seven, 25-18.

Now, with the momentum on their side, the Patriots were fired up headed into the fifth set, and it showed on the court. The Green & Gold scored the first seven points of the match and controlled the tempo the whole game. As the final ball hit the floor, the fans erupted and the team celebrated their first win of the 2024 season, 3-2.

Patriot Points

Freshman Avery Booker led the team with 19 kills, followed closely by senior Olyvia Kennedy with 13 kills and junior Haley Graetz with 10 kills
Sophomore Camryn Weldon tallied 25 assists and 6 digs, and red-shirt junior Damiana Bova-Ford put together a double-double of 20 assists and a career-high 14 digs.
Sophomore Autumn Martinez-Robinson put up two new career highs, in assists (7) and digs (18)
The Patriots outpaced the Highlanders in kills, 62-45, assists, 57-39, and blocks, 8-4.
In the fourth set, the Patriots put up a .412 hitting percentage

Next Up
The Patriots head to Williamsburg, Va. this weekend to play in the Tribe Invitational against Quinnipiac on Friday, Sept. 6, and Bucknell and William & Mary on Saturday, Sept. 7. The match against William & Mary will be available to stream on FloSports.

The Green & Gold will be back at the RAC on Thursday, Sept. 12 for the Mason Invite, playing ODU at 6 p.m. All George Mason home games are available to stream on ESPN+ and admission is free for all spectators.

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