FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason men's volleyball team went the distance with Saint Francis Friday evening at the Recreation Athletic Complex (RAC) and won 3-2. With this evening's win, the Patriots extended their home win streak to seven games.
PATRIOT POINTS
- There was little separating the Patriots and Red Flash this evening, as they were virtually even in hitting percentage (.228 to .236), points (66.5 to 67.0), kills (58 to 55), service aces (three to three), assists (51 to 49) and digs (58 to 54). Saint Francis did have the upper hand in blocks, however, taking the edge nine to five.
- Sophomore pin hitter Aidan Weltin had a game-high 20 kills. Junior outside hitter Robert Evangelista had the second-most kills on the evening, tying his career-high with 17 (set last season against LIU on March 1, 2025).
- Senior middle blocker Elijah Lazor, junior outside hitter Jackson Herbert and sophomore outside hitter Michael Schofield each recorded one ace.
- Senior setter Georgi Zahariev had a game-high 43 assists. Herbert also had a game-high in digs with 12, followed by redshirt junior libero Robby Nardoni and Weltin with 11.
For only the second time this season, George Mason (15-7, 4-2 EIVA) saw their game go the whole five sets - something that has not happened since their season opener with Catawba back on
Jan. 10. However, the Patriots found themselves on the winning side of the fifth set this time, as they surged past Saint Francis (11-9, 5-1 NEC) behind another 20-kill performance by Weltin, a career-tying 17-kill outing by Evangelista and an unwavering Patriot defense that consisted of key blocks and crucial point-saving digs.
SET 1: George Mason - 22, Saint Francis - 25
The Red Flash came out hot in the first set, scoring the first three points and never letting go of the lead. Saint Francis hit .375 with one service ace compared to George Mason's .257 and no aces. Saint Francis met the Patriots at the net multiple times, making three double blocks.
The set's only service ace came at 5-1 for the Red Flash by junior outside hitter Jackson Decker. The Patriots slowly chipped away at the deficit and found themselves only two down after the set's only triple block at 10-6 by
Alexander Lillie, Herbert and Weltin. The Red Flash, however, quelled the Patriot rally throughout the period with three double blocks and only got the Patriots to get as close as 23-21. Saint Francis took the opening set with kills by Nathan Zini and Cole Dorn, who had four and three kills, respectively.
For the Patriots, Weltin led the team with four kills, followed by Evangelista and Lazor with three.
SET 2: George Mason - 25, Saint Francis - 20
The Patriots found their footing in the second set thanks to a steady offense and multiple Red Flash service errors. Saint Francis committed eight service errors compared the George Mason's four and helped sway the momentum to the Patriot side. Weltin took control of the set as well, recording five kills; no one else had more than three.
The Patriots never fell behind in the set and the two schools traded points up until 3-3. Then, George Mason went on three separate 3-0 runs to increase the lead over the Red Flash, who also had one 3-0 run and even one 4-0 run. However, service errors washed away any Red Flash momentum, and the Patriots were able to capitalize and take the second set.
SET 3: George Mason - 25, Saint Francis - 19
The Patriots kept the pressure from the previous set and took another decisive set from Saint Francis, outhitting the Red Flash .189 to .091. Weltin put in seven more kills while nobody on either side recorded more than two. Lazor put in the set's only service ace and double blocks from Lillie, Herbert and Weltin kept the Red Flash at bay.
George Mason rushed out to a 7-2 lead before Saint Francis called their first timeout of the period. After that timeout, the Patriots went on another 7-2 run, pushing the lead to 10 points and forcing Saint Francis to burn their second and final timeout of the period.
The two schools traded points until 24-15, when the Red Flash went on a 4-0 run to cut the Patriot lead to 24-19. The Patriots ended up winning the next point thanks to a ball handling error by Saint Francis' Jackson Decker.
SET 4: George Mason - 22, Saint Francis - 25
The script had been flipped for the fourth set, as Saint Francis jumped out to an early 6-0 lead and never let go. The Red Flash and one service ace and outhit the Patriots .195 to .056 and had 14 kills compared to the Green & Gold's nine. The Patriots, however, only committed one service error to Saint Francis' six.
The Red Flash were comfortably in control throughout the fourth set, leading 24-16 and needing only one more point to even the game. After a Red Flash service error, bringing the score to 24-17, the ball was given to George Mason's
Jackson Herbert, where he served five consecutive times, bringing the Patriots to within two points. In that five-serve span, the Patriots scored off a Red Flash attack error, a Lazor/Zahariev double block, a Lazor solo block, another Red Flash attack error and an Evangelista kill. Evangelista led all scores in the set, recording six kills.
The Patriots' late rally fell short, unfortunately, as Saint Francis put an end to the 26-minute long set with a final kill from Braydan Gall, his fourth of the set.
SET 5: George Mason - 15, Saint Francis - 11
The final set of the evening saw the Patriots put together their strongest offensive performance, hitting at a blistering .750 on 12 attack attempts, recording nine kills. The Red Flash tried to keep up but could only muster a .538 hit percentage on 13 attack attempts and eight kills.
Though Saint Francis' Zini led the period in kills with four, the Patriot offense was more spread out, as Herbert, Weltin and Evangelista all had three kills each.
After a brief tie at 1-1, the Patriots stormed ahead 6-1 and later 8-4 before the two teams switched sides in the abbreviated period. The Red Flash made the adjustments and brought the game to as close as 9-7. The Patriots prevented the Red Flash rally from going any further, thanks to a key service ace by sophomore outside hitter
Michael Schofield at 11-7.
Jackson Herbert's kill at 12-8 pushed the lead to four, which stayed the same until the very end at 15-11.
After a Red Flash attacking error, Evangelista knocked in his 16
th and 17
th kills of the game, tying his career-high set last season against LIU on
March 1, 2025.
UP NEXT
George Mason will close out the weekend tomorrow with a second game with the Red Flash at the RAC. First serve is scheduled for 5 p.m. and can be followed on
live stats and
ESPN+.
