Princeton Takes Another Step Towards Home Court, Completes Season Sweep Of #14 George Mason

Friday, March 29

Fairfax, Va.

7:00 PM

Princeton University

11-12, 9-1

George Mason

13-7, 6-3

Princeton

George Mason

Photo by: Brian McWalters

Princeton Takes Another Step Towards Home Court, Completes Season Sweep Of #14 George Mason

March 29, 2019 | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

There was no lack of motivation for 14th-ranked George Mason Friday night. The Patriots looked to defend their home court against the team that ended their dream run in 2018, and they wanted to keep alive their hopes of hosting the EIVA Championships for a second straight season.

Princeton may have a had a bit more margin for error, but the Tigers didn't care. They have been on a mission throughout this EIVA season, and they put together one of their most impressive matches of the season in a spot when few teams could have managed such an effort. Princeton completed a season sweep of George Mason — which has been ranked above the Tigers throughout every moment of the EIVA season — and kept itself in first place in the league standings with a 3-1 road win over the Patriots.

Senior Kendall Ratter, whose last moment in the EIVA was a run of three straight aces that stunned NJIT in a 3-2 road win, poured in 13 kills and six blocks in the 25-22, 21-25, 25-18, 25-23 victory over Mason Friday night. Junior All-American George Huhmann had 12 kills and hit .355, while classmate Parker Dixon added 10 kills and three blocks in the Tigers' ninth EIVA win in 10 attempts this season. Junior Greg Luck added seven kills, eight blocks and six digs, while freshman Jerod Nelsen added seven kills and seven digs in the victory.

Sophomore Joe Kelly paced the offense with 43 assists and guided an attack that hit .270 for the match, including .385 in a third set when Princeton took control of the match.

The Princeton victory, combined with Penn State's road win at Harvard, leaves the Tigers one up in the loss column on the Nittany Lions with two weekends remaining in the regular season. Princeton is off Saturday night, while Penn State travels to Sacred Heart; should Penn State win that match, the Tigers would hold a one-match lead with four to play, and Princeton won the first match in the series 3-1 in State College.

Princeton will play the final four matches of the regular season at home, starting next Friday night with a 7 pm showdown against Harvard on ESPN+. The final Princeton-Penn State match of the season will be the April 13 season finale at 7 pm in Dillon Gym.