FAIRFAX, Va. — Loyola Chicago defeated George Mason University 3-1 on Saturday at the Recreation & Athletic Complex, with set scores of 18-25, 25-20, 25-14, 25-18.
Before the match, the Patriots celebrated Senior Day, honoring seniors
Haley Graetz,
Rachel Larsen, and
Gabriella Gelfound for their contributions to the Green & Gold.
The match opened with George Mason establishing an early lead through a series of errors by Loyola Chicago.
Mia Hazelett contributed significantly with a kill and an assist, helping the Green & Gold secure a 3-0 advantage. Despite a resurgence from Loyola Chicago that tied the score at 3-3, the Patriots regained control with a service ace from
Haley Graetz, pushing the score to 5-3.
The teams exchanged points in the middle of the set, but George Mason capitalized on a string of attack errors by Loyola Chicago, extending their lead to 17-12. Key plays included kills from
Avery Booker and
Nia Thompson, both fed by
Ava Cheney, helping maintain their momentum. The Green & Gold closed the set strongly with a decisive 25-18 victory, capped by a kill from Booker.
The Patriots surged midway through the second set with a series of successful plays that brought them back into contention.
Nia Thompson and
Meredith Brown both executed key kills, and a notable block by
Mia Hazelett and Thompson tied the score at 8-8. George Mason continued to build momentum, eventually taking a lead of 17-15 with contributions from Graetz's blocking and
Avery Booker's hitting.
Despite this effort, Loyola Chicago responded with a strong end-of-set performance, overtaking the Patriots and closing out the second set 25-20.
George Mason faced a challenging third set against Loyola Chicago. Loyola embarked on a dominant run, scoring six consecutive points and giving them a 10-3 lead. Despite efforts from the Patriots, including kills by Thompson and Hazelett, Loyola's offensive momentum proved difficult to counter. The set concluded with a final score of 25-14 in favor of Loyola Chicago, sealing the game.
George Mason began the fourth set with a kill by
Caroline Rodriguez, leveling the score at 1-1. Despite some initial back-and-forth, Loyola Chicago capitalized on a series of errors and effective plays to extend their lead. The Patriots responded with key contributions from Thompson, who delivered multiple kills to keep the team within striking distance.
However, Loyola Chicago maintained momentum with service aces and offensive pressure, gradually widening the lead. Despite George Mason's efforts, including a late block by Hazelett and Graetz, Loyola secured the victory with a final score of 25-18. The match concluded with Loyola Chicago winning the set.
PATRIOT POINTS
UP NEXT
The Patriots head to the A-10 Tournament. They will play in Richmond, Va. on Friday, November 21. Time and opponent. are TBD. Check GoMason.com for updates in the coming days.
