No. 5 UC Irvine (14-4, 0-2 Big West) extended its winning streak on March 22 with a sweep over the RV George Mason Patriots (12-7, 3-1 EIVA) at the Recreation Athletic Complex. The ‘Eaters claimed the victory in straight sets with scores of 25-21, 25-17 and 25-18, furthering their dominance on the road.
Set 1
The first set opened with a series of service and attack errors from both sides, allowing the Patriots to briefly seize a 4-2 lead. UC Irvine quickly erased the deficit after a service error by George Mason and a kill from senior outside hitter Nolan Flexen. Another kill by Flexen brought the score even at 5-5 and the teams began exchanging points as errors continued. A crucial kill by senior outside hitter Hilir Henno leveled the score at 9-9, igniting a three-point run for the ‘Eaters. Henno delivered another kill and a service ace, propelling UC Irvine into an 11-9 advantage.
Despite continued service errors from both teams, the ‘Eaters maintained control at 13-11. They steadily widened their lead with contributions from Flexen, who hammered a service ace; freshman middle blocker Micah Goss; and Henno. UC Irvine stretched its lead to 18-15. Junior opposite William D’Arcy added two pivotal kills, increasing the gap to 23-19. After a brief exchange of service errors, Flexen delivered the decisive final kill, sealing the set 25-21 and handing UC Irvine a 1-0 lead.
Set 2
George Mason opened the set with an early 2-0 lead, but UC Irvine quickly retaliated with a three-point streak, capitalizing on two attack errors by George Mason and a service ace from Henno. Irvine tied the score at 4-4 after a bad set by the ‘Eaters and a decisive kill from Henno. Both teams then exchanged points, fueled by multiple service errors on both sides, tying three more times before Irvine surged ahead with a three-point run to establish a 10-8 lead.
The score was knotted again at 12-12 after a series of service and attack errors, but UCI responded immediately with another three-point burst led by D’Arcy. Both teams battled back and forth, trading kills and errors, but the ‘Eaters maintained a slight advantage. In the final moments of the set, UC Irvine shifted into high gear with an electrifying six-point streak. Key contributions from Henno, D’Arcy, junior middle blocker Maxim Grigoriev and three critical attack errors from George Mason drove the score to 25-17, securing the set and extending Irvine’s lead to 2-0 in the match.
Set 3
UC Irvine carried their momentum into the third set with an explosive start, launching into an impressive eight-point run. A kill by D’Arcy initiated the set, followed by an exceptional display from Henno, who delivered four service aces and a kill, giving the ‘Eaters a commanding lead. A service error by Henno finally put the Patriots on the scoreboard, but Irvine quickly regained control with three more kills from Flexen, Henno and D’Arcy, extending its lead to 11-1.
The Patriots managed to fight back, exchanging points with UCI through a series of kills and errors, bringing the score to 14-6. Flexen and Grigoriev each added a kill, pushing the score to 17-7. George Mason found some rhythm with a three-point run, narrowing the gap to 17-10, but its momentum was short-lived. A bad set and an attack error set the Patriots back once again, though they momentarily responded with a kill of their own.
As the set neared its conclusion, both teams committed attack and service errors, allowing Irvine to stretch their lead to 23-13. Though a few late errors by the ‘Eaters handed the Patriots four easy points, George Mason ultimately faltered with a service error that sealed the set for Irvine. The ‘Eaters closed out the third set 25-18, completing the sweep and extending their winning streak.
UC Irvine now looks ahead to Big West conference play, where it will take on No. 1 Long Beach State University. The rivalry continues on Friday, March 28, at the Walter Pyramid.
Abigail Park is a Sports Staff Writer. She can be reached at appark@uci.edu.
Edited by Jack Fedor and Jaheem Conley