FAIRFAX, Va. – George Mason women's volleyball put together a dominant performance to take down Big Ten foe Rutgers in straight sets (25-22, 28-26, 25-14) on Saturday afternoon at the Recreation & Athletic Complex. The win is the Patriots' first power conference win since 2019, and just the Scarlet Knight's third loss of the season. 

George Mason set the tone early with efficient offense and steady defense. The set was close until the Patriots went on a 9-2 run to make the score 19-12. Rutgers fought back to bring it within 2, but the Patriot closed out the set with a kill from Haley Graetz to win, 25-22. 

The second set turned into a thriller, featuring 18 ties and seven lead changes. Autumn Martinez-Robinson anchored the back row with key digs as George Mason weathered multiple set points. A kill from Nia Thompson and an attack error from the Scarlet Knights finally ended the set, 28-26 Patriots.  

With the Green & Gold up 2-0, Rutgers fought to keep themselves alive, keeping the set close until the score was 9-9. Then, Mia Hazelett and the Patriots went on a 7-0 run, including back-to-back kills from Meredith Brown. With that lead, George Mason never looked back, finishing the game on a 9-4 run, and winning the decisive set, 25-14. 

This rounds out the Patriots' non-conference play. They finish with a 7-4 record, the best start the team has had since 2009. 

PATRIOT POINTS 

• Meredith Brown led the attack with 8 kills on a .667 hitting percentage, adding 3 block assists for 9.5 points.
• Haley Graetz finished with 6 kills on .625 hitting and 3 blocks.
• Chelsea Colter chipped in 4 kills and a team-high 6.5 points while adding three block assists.
• Autumn Martinez-Robinson sparked the defense with a match-high 10 digs and a game-high 5 service aces.
• As a team, the Patriots hit .274 while limiting Rutgers to just .042, recording 14 blocks and 7 service aces.

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