March 16, 2006

Box Score

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LA JOLLA, Calif. - The first match of the Patriots' West Coast road swing was a successful one, as No. 15 George Mason downed the University of California, San Diego in four games to improve to 16-3 on the season. The loss drops the Tritons' overall record to 1-20.

Mason won the first, second and fourth games by an identical final score of 30-26, while UCSD captured the third game 39-37. With the score tied at 8-8 in game one, the Patriots went on a 9-4 run to take a 17-12 lead. The Tritons cut the lead down to 26-23 on a block assist by Garret Smith and Mike Reuter. Chris Sayers served up an ace late to pull the Tritons within two points at 27-25, but Mason scored three of the next four points to win the first game 30-26.

In game two, neither team could pull away as the largest lead was two points until the Patriots opened up a 19-16 lead on a Hudson Bates' kill. UCSD came back within a point at 23-22 after a Jon Daze kill, but the Patriots put together another run and finished off game two 30-26 on a Bates' kill.

Game three looked to be in the hands of the Patriots as they led 28-24. A John Mark Wendler kill, a Reuter service ace, Mason attack error and a Reuter kill tied the score at 28. The teams would continue to side out seven times before the Tritons finally broke through to lead 36-35 on a setting error by Mason. The Patriots then scored two straight to serve for the match but a Daze kill kept the Tritons alive and knotted the score at 37. UCSD then went to Daze again with the same result, a kill and a 38-37 lead. UCSD picked up the win 39-37 on a block by Daze and Stephen Shaw.

In game four, the Patriots built a 14-9 lead. The lead extended to as many as seven points at 23-16 before the Tritons pulled within a point at 24-23 on a Wendler kill. Mason then scored six of the next nine points to win the match 30-26.

Five players recorded double-digit kill totals for the Patriots. Redshirt senior Shaun Powell had a match-high 17 kills, while senior Matt Steinfurth added 16, sophomore Hudson Bates had 14, junior R.J. Goubeaux had 11 and freshman Kyle Gramit chipped in 10. Goubeaux hit a sizzling .769 in the match. Gramit recorded a double-double as he also recorded 10 digs in the match. Junior Graham Sheppard led the Patriots with 12 digs. Redshirt senior Bryan Newcomb led all players with 63 assists in the match, a season high.

UCSD was led by Reuter with 16 kills, while Daze added 15 and Sayers had 12. Reuter also had a double-double with 10 digs and Brooks Dierdorff had 47 assists and 14 digs.

George Mason is back in action on Thursday, March 16 against California Baptist (12-7) at Van Dyne Gymnasium in Riverside, Calif. First serve is set for 10 p.m. eastern time.