April 12, 2007

FAIRFAX, Va. - George Mason (9-9, 5-5 EIVA Tait Division) plays its final two regular season matches this weekend, hosting a pair of EIVA Tait Division foes at John Linn Memorial Gym, beginning with Friday's match against East Stroudsburg (10-11, 4-7 EIVA Tait Division) at 7 p.m. The Patriots close out their 2007 regular season schedule with a match against Princeton (11-8, 6-5 EIVA Tait Division) at 7 p.m. the following day.

The Patriots are playing for seeding in the EIVA Championship Tournament, which begins on Wednesday, April 18 with two first round matches. The top six teams from the Tait Division all make the tournament. George Mason is in fifth place in the division heading into this weekend's matches, but would jump to third place in the standings with a pair of wins this weekend.

Mason faced East Stroudsburg earlier in the season on Jan. 31 at Koehler Fieldhouse in East Stroudsburg, Pa. The Patriots won the match in four games as redshirt freshman opposite hitter William Price finished with 29 kills and eight digs. Including this season's match, Mason holds a 48-7 advantage in the all-time series against East Stroudsburg.

Kyle Swanson will be honored along with Graham Sheppard on Senior Night on Saturday.

George Mason wraps up its 2007 regular season on Saturday against Princeton. In the teams' previous meeting on March 9 in Princeton, N.J., the Patriots won in four games as sophomore outside hitter Kyle Gramit finished one dig shy of a double-double with 12 kills and nine digs.

Three promotions will take place during Friday's match. It is the Broadside Game of the Week and all George Mason students in attendance will receive a free Mason car flag while supplies last. It is also Mason Spirit Day; fans who wear green or gold to the match will get in at the discounted admission rate of $1. Friday's match will also feature a prediction contest. The fan that correctly guesses the number of kills the Patriots compile during the first three games of the match will win a Mason prize pack and a gift certificate to Brion's Grille.

Saturday's match will be Senior Night at Linn Gym. The Patriots' two seniors - libero Graham Sheppard and middle blocker Kyle Swanson - will both be honored in a ceremony prior to the start of the match.

Sheppard has been the team's starter at libero since moving into the starting lineup for the final 15 matches of his freshman season. Sheppard was a First-Team EIVA All-East selection last season and has led the Patriots in digs during three of his four seasons, including this year. He ranks first all-time in the school record books in career digs during the rally-scoring era with a total of 602 heading into this weekend's matches.

Swanson moved into the starting lineup at middle blocker during his senior season and has performed at a high level all season long, ranking first on the team in hitting percentage (.348) and total blocks (74). He ranks sixth all-time at Mason during the rally-scoring era with 204 total blocks.

Single-match tickets will cost $5 for adults and $2 for youth and senior citizens. All full-time enrolled students will be admitted free with a valid student ID.