Oct. 4, 2008

Box Score

FAIRFAX, Va. - The George Mason women's volleyball team narrowly missed taking an early one-set lead, and in the end fell in straight sets to Northeastern, 3-0 (27-25, 25-13, 25-23), on Saturday evening in Colonial Athletic Association action at the Field House.

Northeastern (9-7, 3-0) kept its conference winning record unblemished while the Patriots fell to 4-12, 0-3 in the CAA as they dropped their seventh straight contest.

Mason was led on offense by 13 kills from junior Rebecca Walter, while classmate Laura Turner led the Patriots at the net with four total blocks along with tallying a match-high three service aces, tying a career best. Freshman Noelle Fanella was highest on the team with eight digs. The Huskies were led by 16 kills from Lauren DeTurk and 13 kills from Brianna Seitz. The Patriots were out-hit by a .300-to-.156 margin and NU held a 8-to-6 blocking advantage.

The Patriots broke open a tight contest in the first set as an 8-0 run transformed a 9-9 tie into a 17-9 Mason lead. Northeastern clawed its way back into the match, however, as Mason held four set points but was unable to convert as the Huskies tied the score at 24. A Sarah Stein kill put the Huskies in position for their first match point, but a kill by senior Jourdan Dozier extended the set. However, two straight points for the Huskies gave them the early advantage in the match.

Northeastern had a decidedly different look in the second set, out-hitting Mason by a .273-to-.000 margin and opening on a 6-1 run. The Huskies never trailed in the set, though the Patriots did get as close as two points at 8-6.

The third set matched the tone of the lid-lifter, as the teams began close. Northeastern did take a lead as large as five at 16-11, but the Patriots worked their way back into the set as they tied the score at 19. From there, the teams continued a pattern for the next eight points as Mason answered back from each Husky score. Again, though, two straight NU points with the scoreboard tied at 23 put away the match in favor of the Huskies.

Mason will look for a return to the win column next weekend, as it will spend next weekend heading south, visiting Georgia State on Friday evening in Atlanta before a Sunday matinee at UNC Wilmington.