Men's Volleyball Picks Up Two-Game Road Sweep of George Mason

The Harvard men’s volleyball team swept George Mason 3-0, 3-1, in a tight two-game series this weekend. Executing with the match was on the line, the Crimson (6-5, 3-1 EIVA) fought the Patriots (5-8, 1-2) for every set and came out victorious over the two-day stretch in Fairfax, Va.

HARVARD 3, GEORGE MASON 1

On Saturday, facing the Patriots for the second time in as many days, Harvard (6-5, 3-1 EIVA) came out strong, racing to a 2-0 game lead. The dominant opening seemed to leave little doubt as to what would happen next--an equally dominant third-set, a match victory, and a smooth ride back to Cambridge.

Instead, the Crimson lost momentum in the third set, allowing George Mason to force a fourth. Jack Wilson recorded seven kills, Radoslav Popov recorded four, and the Patriots led from beginning to end, winning by a 10-point margin.

“We came out very flat in the third set,” Harvard captain Branden Clemens said. “The 10-minute break between the second and third set can sometimes be tough because it takes the rhythm out of the game.”

But the momentum eventually swung back to the Crimson. Trailing 20-19 at the end of a fourth set that had 12 tied scores, Harvard proceeded to go on a four-point run. Two kills by sophomore middle blocker Riley Moore sealed the deal as the Crimson claimed the match with a 25-23 set win.

The game-winning frame was made possible largely due to an early two-set lead. Clinging to just a one-point advantage in the first, the Crimson created separation, closing with a 5-1 run to win, 25-18.

Stretching its lead in the second set and out-hitting George Mason, 34.8 percent to 0, Harvard handled the Patriots more readily in a 25-15 victory. Setter Marko Kostich earned an assist on the final point. The sophomore ended the game with 33 assists to go along with 10 digs, turning in his second career double-double.

“Overall we played a great match, but in the third set on Saturday, we came out slow after the break,” Gretsch said. “We need to keep our focus and continue to play hard for every set, even if we were winning the ones before easily.”

HARVARD 3, GEORGE MASON 0

It was a wild one on Friday night--as wild as a three-game sweep could be.

Despite a total of 26 tied scores in the first two sets alone, the Crimson won clutch points down the stretch to defeat its conference foe, 3-0.

The high mark was a tense second set that went to 38-38 before the Crimson tallied consecutive points to take a 2-0 overall lead. Harvard had lost seven potential game points before that point but erased those memories thanks to kills by sophomores Kostich and outside hitter Brad Gretsch.

In the first set, again earning the points when they mattered the most, the Crimson rallied to overcome a 24-22 deficit and steal the frame. An ace by Gretsch and a kill by junior outside hitter Casey White capped the set, and the final point was the first time that Harvard had led all night.

"As a team we were serving well, which made it much easier for us to play defense around our block and put pressure on their pin hitters,” Gretsch said. “Individually and as a team, we were passing very well...which opened up our offense and gave our setter four options.”

However, even the third set was defined by tense back-and-forth play until a block by Kostich and Moore left Harvard with a slight 21-19 lead. After an ace by Gretsch and an attack error by the Patriots added to the margin, White finalized the victory with a kill, ending the set at 25-22.

On the night, Gretsch tallied his first career double-double with 12 kills and 10 digs and was supported by freshman middle blocker Trevor Dow, who ended with a career-best hitting percentage of 83 percent..

“We have been a very energetic and loud team that comes out willing to fight every game,” Clemens said. “What was really good about this weekend’s games was the fact that we were able to use that energy but then in tight situations stay calm and collected.”

—Staff writer Sam Danello can be reached at sam.danello@thecrimson.com.