CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard men's volleyball (6-10, 4-3 EIVA) dropped a five-set (25-22, 19-25, 21-25, 26-24, 7-15) heart breaker against George Mason (13-7, 4-1 EIVA) this evening inside the Malkin Athletic Center.
How It Happened
A 3-0 start to the contest gave the Crimson early momentum in the first set. Harvard maintained its strong play and went up by as many as four at 9-5. A pair of runs from the Patriots and multiple ties did not deter the Crimson, as it continued to pull ahead. A late 4-1 run gave Harvard the cushion it needed to secure the opening set, 25-22.
A 25-19 result in favor of the Patriots in the second set evened the match. After a 6-6 tie, George Mason utilized a 7-2 run to pull away from the Crimson. Despite significant efforts from the home team, the Patriots held their lead throughout the frame to level the contest at one set apiece.
The Patriots maintained their momentum in the third set, using a dominant 9-3 run to take an 11-6 lead. George Mason led by as many as six, but the Crimson refused to back down, pulling within one at 18-17. Harvard continued to apply pressure late in the set but ultimately fell, 25-21.
The fourth set was a back-and-forth battle featuring 17 ties and a lead no larger than two for either team. Harvard ultimately prevailed in the struggle, taking the frame 26-24 to force a decisive fifth set.
George Mason grabbed the lead quickly in the final set, surging ahead 11-3. The Patriots' extensive lead proved insurmountable, as they held off the Crimson to claim victory, 15-7.
Harvard Highlights
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Zach Berty delivered another strong performance, recording a team-high 14 kills while also adding an ace, four total blocks, and five digs.
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Owen Fanning led the Crimson with nine digs and also contributed eight kills, an ace, and two block assists.
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Owen Woolbert was dominant at the net, contributing a team-best six blocks. On the offensive side, the sophomore tallied seven kills.
Next Up
The Crimson and the Patriots will face off again tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. ET inside the Malkin Athletic Center in Harvard's second of three weekend matches.
