MEN'S VOLLEYBALL @ Sacred Heart
WHEN: Friday, March 20 (7 p.m.) and Saturday, March 21 (4 p.m.)
WHERE: William H. Pitt Center | Fairfax, Conn.
RECORDS: George Mason (12-7, 2-2 EIVA); Sacred Heart (7-8, 0-2 EIVA)
ALL-TIME SERIES: George Mason leads, 23-3; last season, George Mason won both games (
Feb. 14: 3-0,
Feb. 15: 3-1)
LIVE STATS: Click Here
WATCH (ESPN+) MARCH 20: Click Here
WATCH (ESPN+) MARCH 21: Click Here
FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The George Mason Men's Volleyball team will return to Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA) action, as they will travel to the William H. Pitt Center this weekend to take on Sacred Heart for two games. This will be the Patriots' first EIVA match since their 3-1 ranked win over No. 19 NJIT on
Feb. 27.
LAST TIME OUT
Last weekend, George Mason (12-7, 2-2 EIVA) won both of their home games, extending their home win streak to six.
On Friday, the Patriots swept Barton College, overpowering the Bulldogs in hitting percentage (.481 to .187), points (60 to 35), kills (45 to 29), service aces (six to one), blocks (nine to five), assists (36 to 28) and digs (25 to 22). Junior opposite hitter
Derek Nagel also had a game-high two service aces.
After a rest day, the Patriots continued their strong weekend and
beat FDU 3-1. Sophomore pin hitter
Aidan Weltin had a career-high 22 kills, breaking his previous record of 21 set earlier this season on
Feb. 6. His four service aces is a new career-high for the sophomore as well. Senior setter
Georgi Zahariev also had a game-high 52 assists, one shy of his season-high of 53 set on
Feb. 27.
AWARDS
George Mason picked up their fourth overall and third consecutive EIVA weekly award of the season with
Jackson Herbert being named the conference's
Offensive Player of the Week.
Herbert won his first career weekly award and was a major contribution for George Mason's 2-0 weekend, first
sweeping Barton College on Friday and
powering past FDU on Sunday.
The Ashburn, Virginia, product played six (of a possible seven) sets swinging .563 and totaled 20 kills, the highest among Patriots who played six sets or more. His 15 kills in Sunday's win over FDU was also a season high. Herbert also had a serve percentage of .833 and two service aces, the second-most on the team for the weekend.
To round out the weekend, Herbert recorded a perfect 1.000 receiving percentage (11 of 11), had five digs, had five block assists and totaled 24.5 points (4.08 points/set). His .294 hitting percentage ranks second in the EIVA.
2026 Weekly Awards List
- Feb. 9: Aidan Weltin Named EIVA Offensive Player of the Week
- March 2: Georgi Zahariev Named EIVA Offensive Player of the Week & AVCA National Collegiate Men's Player of the Week
- March 9: Alexander Lillie Named EIVA Offensive Player of the Week
- March 16: Jackson Herbert Named EIVA Offensive Player of the Week
SCOUTING SACRED HEART
Sacred Heart (7-8, 0-2 EIVA) were picked to finish seventh in the EIVA Preseason Coaches' Poll. They have only played two conference games so far this season, with their two conference losses coming from Charleston on Feb. 20-21.
The Pioneers are coming off a 3-0 win over Merrimack on March 14. Before that win, Sacred Heart had been on a five-game losing skid.
Outside hitter Aleksa Mandic is the team's leader in kills with 140. The junior had a season-high 23 kills in their five-set loss to FDU.
Two other Pioneers are over the century mark in kills. Junior outside hitter Petr Beranek has 110 kills, while sophomore opposite hitter Zach Flynn has 103.
On defense, middle blocker Aaron Johnson has the most blocks and service aces on the team with 31. Junior libero Gian Paolo Pido was also named EIVA Defensive Player of the Week back on Feb. 2.
STAT LEADERS
PATRIOTS (19 games played) | PIONEERS (15 games played)
HISTORY WITH THE PIONEERS
Since their first meeting on
Jan. 22, 2011, the Patriots hold a commanding 23-3 all-time series lead over Sacred Heart. George Mason have won the last 19 matchups against the Pioneers, with their last loss being on
Feb. 15, 2014.
Last season, the Patriots won both games in Fairfax.
On Feb. 14, the Patriots shut out the Pioneers 3-0 and
won the following day 3-1.
UP NEXT
George Mason will return home and begin the first of a three-week homestand, starting with a two-game series with Saint Francis. The Patriots' first game against the Red Flash will be Friday, March 27, at 6 p.m., followed by a Saturday, March 28 5 p.m. first serve.
