MEN'S VOLLEYBALL at Charleston
WHEN: Friday, February 13 (7 p.m.); Saturday, February 14 (2 p.m.)
WHERE: Wehrle Innovation Center | Charleston, W. Va.
RECORDS: George Mason (5-4, 0-0 EIVA); Charleston (5-5, 0-0 EIVA)
ALL-TIME SERIES: George Mason leads, 23-2; last met April 23, 2025 at EIVA Tournament Quarterfinals (George Mason won 3-0)
LIVE STATS: Click Here
WATCH (MECTV) FEB. 13: Click Here
WATCH (MECTV) FEB. 14: Click Here

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CHARLESTON, W. Va. – The George Mason Men's Volleyball team will begin a two week, four game road trip, starting with a pair of games against the University of Charleston that will open Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA) play.

LAST TIME OUT
Last weekend, George Mason (5-4, 0-0 EIVA) picked up back-to-back wins at home against Manhattan. The Patriots won both matches 3-1 and closed out their three week, six game homestand with five wins and a winning percentage of over .500 for the first time this season.

On Friday, the Patriots held off the Jaspers, 3-1, thanks to a career night by pin hitter Aidan Weltin, whose career-high 21 kills propelled the Patriots to put away a lingering Manhattan offense who kept the game close throughout the night. Junior outside hitter Robert Evangelista, who accounted for the second-most kills with 16, was one kill shy of tying his personal best of 17.

The following day, George Mason beat Manhattan again,3-1. Senior setter Georgi Zahariev had a game-high 34 assists as well as a service ace. The Patriot defense recorded 12 total blocks compared to Manhattan's six. Evangelista, along with sophomore middle blocker Alexander Lillie, recorded one solo block.

George Mason's strong outing last week resulted in the team's first EIVA weekly award of the season, and Weltin was named the conference's Offensive Player of the Week on Monday. Over the weekend, the Lombard, Ill., product led the team in service aces (4), kills (33), kills per set (4.71), points (39.0), points per set (5.57) and serve percentage among those with 30 or more attempts (.900). Weltin also recorded a .338 attacking percentage, eight digs, one solo block in Friday's match and two block assists the following day.

Weltin currently leads the EIVA with 4.32 kills per set and 4.89 points per set.

SCOUTING CHARLESTON
Following last season's 12-17 overall record, a 5-7 conference record and an EIVA Tournament quarterfinals loss to the Patriots, the Golden Eagles (5-5, 0-0 EIVA) were picked to finish tied for fifth in the EIVA Preseason Coaches Poll.

The Golden Eagles are coming home after a weekend trip to North Carolina which saw them split two games, both of which the Patriots faced earlier in the season. On Feb. 6^th, the Golden Eagles lost to Mount Olive in five sets, but they bounced back and beat Catawba the following day, 3-1.

Senior outside hitter Lucas Torres is the team's leader in kills with 94. The Belo Horizonte, Brazil, native had a season-high 20 kills on Feb. 3^rd against Central State (Ohio) and is coming off a 17-kill game against Catawba. Freshman opposite hitter Conrad Spidsø, who won last week's EIVA Offensive Player of the Week award, has the second-most kills with 82. The Oslo, Norway, product had a red-hot game in their loss against Mount Olive with a career-high 25 kills.

On defense, the Golden Eagles have two middle blockers that have amassed more than 20 blocks on the season. Sophomore  Braxton Francis and freshman Pavlin Ivanov have 26 and 24, respectively. Both also have two solo blocks on the season as well. Sophomore setter Yotam Briger, who has a team-high 307 assists, also is tied with the most solo blocks with three, along with freshman middle blocker Dimitris Manikas.

STAT LEADERS
PATRIOTS (nine games played) | GOLDEN EAGLES (10 games played)

• KILLS - Aidan Weltin (95) | Lucas Torres (94)
• DIGS - Stef Kins (46) | Yotam Briger (66)
• ASSISTS - Georgi Zahariev (249) | Yotam Briger (307)
• BLOCKS - Alexander Lillie (27.0)  |  Braxton Francis (26.0)
• ACES - Robert Evangelista/Aidan Weltin (7) | Lucas Torres (14)

HISTORY WITH THE GOLDEN EAGLES
The Patriots hold a commanding 23-2 all-time series lead over the Golden Eagles. The last time the two schools met was on April 23^rd of last year, when the Patriots swept the Golden Eagles in straight sets in the EIVA Tournament quarterfinals. In the regular season, George Mason beat Charleston in both games in Fairfax. The Patriots won the first game 3-0 on April 18^th and closed out the 2025 regular season the following day with a 3-1 victory.

The last time George Mason lost to Charleston was Feb. 23^rd, 2024, when the Golden Eagles won, 3-1, in the first of a two game series with the Patriots in Charleston.

UP NEXT
George Mason will still be on the road next weekend, this time being in New Jersey. The Patriots will first play against EIVA foe New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) in Newark on Feb. 20^th at 6 p.m. They will then travel to Teaneck for a single game at Fairleigh Dickinson on Feb. 21^st at 2 p.m.