Conference News
George Mason Drops EIVA Tait Division Match to Princeton in Straight Sets
George Mason Drops EIVA Tait Division Match to
Princeton in Straight Sets
Patriots unable to win third consecutive conference contest; fall
to 4-5 in the Tait Division
FAIRFAX, Va. (April 11, 2010) – After winning consecutive
matches for the first time since February, George Mason was unable
to extend its winning streak to three, losing an EIVA Tait Division
men’s volleyball match to Princeton in straight sets on
Sunday afternoon at the RAC. With the win, the Tigers
clinched second place in the conference standings with a 5-5 record
in conference matches.
The Patriots entered the day in second place with a 4-4 record
against EIVA Tait Division opponents but dropped to third following
the loss. Even if Mason wins its final EIVA Tait Division match of
the regular season next Saturday, the Patriots will finish in a tie
with Princeton and will finish in third place in the division due
to a pair of regular-season losses to the Tigers.
George Mason started slowly on Sunday afternoon, losing the first
set by nine points, 30-21. Princeton won the first three points of
the set and the Patriots were unable to overcome the early
deficit.
The second set was much more competitive than the first, featuring
14 ties and five lead changes. The set was close throughout, and
Mason had a chance to even the match at one set apiece when it took
a 29-28 lead on a double block by Luke Maloney and Ben Nichols of a
Carl Hamming attempt. However, Hamming bounced back on the next
point, recording a kill to tie the score at 29.
Princeton took the next point on a kill by Jeff McCown, but the
Patriots’ Michael Kvidahl answered with a kill of his own to
tie the score at 30. McCown put the Tigers up 31-30 with another
kill and Princeton won the set when Kvidahl’s attempt sailed
wide to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead in the match.
Princeton never trailed in the third set, winning 30-22 to put an
end to the match and improve its record to 11-9 overall and 5-5 in
the EIVA Tait Division.
Kvidahl led Mason’s attack with 14 kills on 31 swings. Lance
Rogers recorded six blocks for a Patriots’ team that finished
with 12 as a unit.
Hamming led the way with 22 kills for the Tigers. He hit .559 in
the match with eight digs. Setter Scott Liljestrom dished out 43
assists.








