Fairfax, Va.- George Mason gave Penn State a hard-fought battle that extended up to the fifth set. George Mason fall to a 4-5 conference record and Penn State climb up with a record of 6-3.
The first set was a battle that went back and forth and ultimately ended with Penn State taking the first set 25-23. The offensive trio of
Jackson Herbert,
Liam French, and Gio Collazo were giving the Nittany Lion defense many problems.
The second set went in favor for the Patriots, 25-23. The set was a replica of the previous set with both teams fighting for the lead but George Mason maintained their composure and tied the game at 1-1. Alex Lillie and
Evan Snodgrass were once again crucial in defense with blocks and giving the Penn State offense a headache.
George Mason had the Recreation Athletic Complex going crazy once they secured the third set to take the lead, 2-1. The defense held the Lions to only 18 points and a .038 hitting percentage. The Patriots offense dipped a little from the previous set recording a .273 hitting but the combination of a good defense and offense gave the Patriots the edge in the game.
The fourth set was dominated by Penn State. The Nittany Lions had a hitting percentage of .529 and held the Patriots to a -.045 hitting. Penn State took the set, 25-12, and would force a fifth set.
Everyone was on their feet for the fifth set with both teams going back and forth once again. The game was tied up until it was 12-12. Timeouts and challenges were being called left and right to take a lead. Ultimately, Penn State had the extra boost to finish out the game with a kill by Miller Trubey.
By the numbers:
Next Up:
There will be Gold Out tomorrow at 5 pm for the rematch between the Patriots and the Nittany Lions.
