HACKENSACK, N.J. – The George Mason Men's Volleyball team, led by strong defense, beat FDU in straight sets Saturday afternoon at the Bogota Savings Bank Center. Saturday's win finishes the Patriot road trip at 2-2.
PATRIOT POINTS
- The Patriots put up more points (49.0 to 44.0), kills (39 to 33), blocks (eight to five), assists (37 to 32) and digs (36 to 17) than the Knights.
- Sophomore pin hitter Aidan Weltin and sophomore outside hitter Jack Lopez both recorded double-digit kills on the afternoon with 15 (game-high) and 10, respectively.
- Lopez also recorded the team's only solo block in the third set.
- Senior setter Georgi Zahariev had game-highs in assists (28) and digs (14).
Saturday's final game of the two-week, four-game road trip ended on a positive note, as George Mason (7-6, 1-2 EIVA) kept constant pressure over FDU (5-5, 0-0 NEC). The set scores were 25-23, 25-21 and 25-19, extending the Patriot winning streak over the Knights to 8-0 dating back to 2022.
SET 1: George Mason - 25, FDU - 23
The first set was defined by two early runs by both schools followed by a constant trading of points down the stretch. After the Patriots stormed out to a 6-1 lead, the Knights went on a 8-3 run of their own to tie the score at nine. The next six points would be alternated between George Mason and FDU.
After a few more traded points, the opening stanza would be tied for the last time at 19. The Patriots finally separated from the Knights with a 3-0 run that consisted of kills by Evangelista, Lillie and a team block. At 22-19, the Knights mounted a late rally of their own, cutting the lead to 24-23, but Lopez, who recorded three of his 10 kills in the set, shut the door with a set-clinching kill, assisted by Zahariev.
SET 2: George Mason - 25, FDU - 21
In similar fashion to the first, the Patriots poured the points on to start the second set, this time in the form of an 8-2 run. The Knights were undeterred by the Patriot push, as they went on several multi-point runs, which included four service aces, to briefly take the lead at 14-13.
The only FDU lead of the set would be short-lived, as the Patriots immediately took the next point by way of a Lopez kill and scored three more in a row. At 17-14, the Patriots maintained the pressure and cruised to a 25-21 set win thanks to multiple Knight service errors, Weltin notching six of his 15 kills in the period.
SET 3: George Mason - 25, FDU - 19
By the third set, George Mason held a firm grip on the game. Though the game was tied at 15, the Patriots went on a 10-4 run to close out the match and take the sweep.
The Knights committed 16 of the set's 23 total errors, which also tipped the game in favor of the Patriots. Of the last 10 points awarded to George Mason, six were Knight errors.
The two schools traded shots until it was tied at 21, where errors plagued Patriot play down the stretch. The Highlanders took the match-clinching set by going on a 4-2 run in which all four points were Patriot errors.
COACH'S CORNER
"I thought we did a nice job of finding our way tonight," said head coach
Jay Hosack. "The rhythm felt better and we got back on track. Long way to go for this season still."
UP NEXT
George Mason will return home to the Recreation Athletic Complex (RAC) next week for two games. First, the Patriots will host NJIT on Friday, Feb. 27, at 6 p.m.; then, after a Saturday rest day, the Patriots will open March with a match against Dominican University of New York on Sunday, March 1, at 2 p.m.
