Princeton University Athletics
Princeton University
George Mason
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George Mason Rallies Past Men's Volleyball For Important 3-1 Victory
March 09, 2007 | Men's Volleyball
Despite a great overall effort from junior captain Peter Eichler, the best team on the volleyball court Friday night was George Mason. The Patriots took over second place in the EIVA Tait division with a 3-1 road win at Dillon Gym. Eichler had a match-high 25 kills for Princeton, which hit almost flawlessly in the opening game but never found that rhythm the rest of the way.
Princeton falls to 6-6 overall, 4-3 in the Tait division with a 23-30, 30-26, 30-22, 30-26 loss to the Patriots. George Mason improved to 6-5 overall, 4-2 in the Tait. While neither team is likely to catch 2006 NCAA finalist Penn State for the top spot, there is great importance to placing second. Double-byes are awarded to the top two teams in the league and will go straight to the league semifinals, while the third-seeded team will host an EIVA quarterfinal match.
Princeton opened the match with one of its best offensive performances of the season. The Tigers hit .600 in the first game, including an .800 performance from Eichler (8 for 10). Mason evened the match thanks to a late 4-0 run in the second game that turned a 22-21 lead into a 26-21 advantage. Following a 30-22 Mason win in the third game, the Tigers again gave up a late surge in the fourth game to drop their third Tait match of the year.
Evan Pasion added 11 kills and hit .588, while sophomore setter Brandon Denham added 52 assists for the Tigers. Princeton will host a critical division weekend next weekend, beginning with a Friday night showdown with St. Francis.