FAIRFAX, Va. — On the second and final day of the Uvaldo Acosta Memorial Tournament at the Recreation Athletic Complex (RAC), the George Mason Men's Volleyball team split their Saturday doubleheader. The Patriots won their first match to Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), 3-1, but their three-game win streak was short-lived, as they lost their showdown with No. 10 Ball State, 3-0, in the following game.

PATRIOT POINTS

• Junior pin hitter Sebastian Sanchez showed out with 24 kills in Game 1 against UMES, setting a current team-high for the season.
• The Patriots set a new season-high in service aces with six, with four coming from Sanchez himself.
• In Game 2, sophomore hitters Aidan Weltin and Jack Lopez shared the team-high in kills with 12 each
• The first set of Game 2 was George Mason's highest scoring individual set, scoring 29 points

GAME 1: GMU - 3, UMES - 1
Game 1 featured a breakout performance by Sanchez, whose strong offensive prowess powered George Mason (3-3, 0-0 EIVA) to a strong 3-1 win over UMES (4-2, 0-0 NEC). The Patriots showcased a strong offense with 59 kills on a .319 hitting percentage.

All four sets were hard-fought, however, as the Hawks never wavered and battled for every point. Saturday's first game also featured meaningful playing time from freshman Brady Ruth, sophomores Michael Schofield and David Hill, junior Gabe Metcalf and senior Hayden Karpinski, 

SET 1: GMU - 25, UMES - 18
The match kicked off with the Green & Gold establishing an early lead over the Hawks, thanks to Sebastian Sanchez's stellar play, including four kills and a service ace. Despite the valiant efforts of UMES players like Chase Valentine and Tristan Rowley, who posted crucial kills, the Patriots held firm.

Contributions from Hayden Karpinski and David Hill were vital, with Karpinski delivering a key kill at 20-16 and Hill racking up multiple points. Defensive prowess, highlighted by blocks from Hill and Sanchez, allowed the Patriots to widen their lead. Sanchez's service ace wrapped up the first set for George Mason, 25-18.

SET 2: GMU - 25, UMES - 23
The second set saw the Green & Gold narrowly edge out the Hawks with a 25-23 victory. This set was a tug-of-war, with Sanchez continuing to shine, delivering critical kills with assists from Gabe Metcalf. Despite pressure from Rowley and Joshua Hightower, bolstered by Kenyon Haynes' precise setting, the Patriots capitalized on the Hawks' service errors and a crucial ball handling error by Andre Mills to clinch the set. The intense competition was evident as both teams fought fiercely for control.

SET 3: GMU - 18, UMES - 25
UMES fought back in the third set, taking a 25-18 win over the Patriots. The Hawks' success was spearheaded by Mills and Haynes, with Mills delivering the set-clinching kill. Despite Sanchez's efforts, including multiple kills, the Hawks exploited George Mason's service and attack errors to maintain their advantage. Haynes orchestrated several successful plays, keeping the momentum firmly with the Hawks.

SET 4: GMU - 25, UMES - 22
In the fourth set, the Patriots emerged victorious with a 25-22 win. Sanchez was pivotal for the Patriots, contributing several key kills, including one at 21-17 after a team service ace. Hill and Metcalf were instrumental as well, executing crucial blocks that disrupted the Hawks' rhythm. The set concluded with an attack error by Mills of UMES, sealing the match for the Patriots.


GAME 2: GMU - 0, No. 10 Ball State - 3
In Game 2, the Patriots (3-4, 0-0 EIVA) fought hard against Ball State (8-1, 0-0 MIVA), especially in the first set. Multiple successful challenges by Ball State also swung the momentum in favor of the Cardinals. Despite the setback, George Mason's offense was powered by a solid team effort, notching 39 kills with a .247 hitting percentage.

SET 1: GMU - 29, Ball State - 31
The opening set showed both sides' bend-don't-break mentality especially towards the end, as it took extra points to decide a winner. Ball State grabbed an early lead, with Patrick Rogers racking up multiple kills, thanks to assists from Lucas Machado. The Patriots fought back, with Alexander Lillie and Jack Lopez delivering crucial points to keep the match tight.

The score was knotted at 24-24 following a service miscue by the Cardinals. Aidan Weltin stepped up for the Green & Gold, but ultimately, Ball State edged ahead with another Rogers kill and a final attack error by Weltin, claiming the set 31-29.

SET 2: GMU - 20, Ball State - 25
In the second set, Ball State secured a 25-20 win over the Patriots. Lopez was a standout for George Mason, contributing multiple kills with assists from Georgi Zahariev. However, service errors plagued the Green & Gold, giving Ball State the upper hand.

The Cardinals capitalized on the Patriot miscues and kept their momentum with key plays, such as a service ace from Ryan Louis and blocks by Braydon Savitski-Lynde. The set ended with Savitski-Lynde's decisive kill off a Machado assist.

SET 3: GMU - 13, Ball State - 25
Ball State took control early in the third set, due to a series of George Mason errors. With Machado serving, the Cardinals raced to a 6-0 lead, helped by three attack errors from the Patriots and a service ace. George Mason struggled to find their rhythm, with Lopez breaking the scoring drought with a kill from Zahariev.

Ball State was able to keep a firm handle on the set, as Louis and Wil Basilio delivered key kills. George Mason made a late push, highlighted by consecutive points from Lopez and Robert Evangelista, but a service error by the Patriots sealed the set and match at 25-18 for Ball State.

COACH'S CORNER
"I thought today was a good day of battling for our entire team," said head coach Jay Hosack. "I don't like to schedule doubleheaders, but we had to due to the weather. Our team responded with some solid wins this weekend, and learned that we can compete with the top teams in the country. Now we have to just sustain that pressure for longer periods of time against good teams."

UP NEXT
George Mason will close out the three-week long homestand next Friday and Saturday, Feb. 6^th & 7^th, as Manhattan University will come to Fairfax for the first time for a pair of games at the RAC. Friday's game will start at 6 p.m., and Saturday's finale will start at 5 p.m.