(Davon Marion / Fourth Estate)
The resilient Patriots fail to win a set against their toughest opponent yet
BY PETER MAHLER, STAFF WRITER
Despite resilient play, the Patriots lost to the conference-leading Dayton Flyers 3-0 Friday, Oct. 24 and Saturday, Oct. 25 at the Frericks Center in Dayton, Ohio.
The Flyers’ defense made converting attacks difficult with just a 0.032 hitting percentage in the first two sets. Twenty-four Mason errors kept them from developing any substantial lead, as Dayton had a cleaner game with only 16 errors of their own.
Freshman setter Ava Cheney assisted her teammates 34 times, by far the most on the team. When the Patriot attack was humming, Cheney’s setting skills played a part in it.
Mason found greater success in the second match; their hitting percentage increased from 0.089 in the first match to a more-solid 0.208.
Sophomore middle blocker Meredith Brown had a good first match, contributing eight kills and three blocks. She frequently aided the team in stretches where Dayton appeared to be pulling away, using her 6’4” frame to deny attempts at the net.
Junior middle blocker Chelsea Colter made key plays in the second match to keep Mason close during a match-point situation down 24-22. A kill followed by a sensational block tied the game at 24, swinging momentum in the Patriots ‘ favor, but the Flyers ultimately pulled away in extra innings.
Serving has been a key strength for the Patriots all season, as they lead the A-10 with 1.85 aces per set. However, they struggled to put pressure on the Flyers, with just five aces in six sets compared to Dayton’s 12. Poor serves and 13 service errors routinely stifled Mason’s momentum.
Dayton imposed their will at the net. 6’4” redshirt freshman middle blocker Abigail Cresse led the way with 13 total blocks in the two matches. She and her teammates consistently swatted down Mason’s attacks, forcing Mason’s front-row players into unfavorable situations.
The Patriots responded admirably in the third set, but ultimately fell 25-21 after Dayton’s sophomore outside hitter Kaitlyn McNeel delivered a block and two kills in the final stretch. Their losses in the first two sets ended in a combined score of 50-33, featuring competitive stretches in which Mason held opportunities in multiple ties but failed to overcome untimely errors.
Dayton’s aggressive attacks demanded precise reactions that the Patriots simply couldn’t keep up with. Defensively, Mason led the first match with 42 digs.
In the second match, the Patriots carried their momentum from Friday night’s final set by playing more competitively, but still left Ohio without a single set win, losing 3-0.
The final set was less competitive, but Mason displayed something present in many of the other sets: resilience and a knack for giving Dayton trouble when trying to close out match points. Despite going down 24-18, the Patriots fought admirably, scoring three consecutive points before falling just short with a score of 25-21.
Though Mason’s attack was noticeably better in the second match, errors continued to limit their output. In the final two sets, they had 29 kills to the Flyers’ 25, but also 16 errors that paved the way for a Dayton surge.
The Flyers made fewer mistakes than the Patriots during their matches, which made the difference between the Patriots winning zero sets and potentially winning more. Mason now holds a 14-8 record and is 7-4 against A-10 opponents.
The Patriots will return to Fairfax and look to rebound from three straight losses when they face George Washington on Wednesday, Oct. 29. Fans can watch them play at the Recreation Athletic Complex (RAC) or on ESPN+.