Tigers Fall In Fifth Set to George Mason

Saturday, April 11

Fairfax, Va.

5:00 PM

Princeton University

5-14,1-9EIVA

George Mason

20-7,8-2EIVA

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
Princeton	22	29	23	28	13	2
George Mason	25	27	25	26	15	3

April 11, 2026 | Men's Volleyball

Box Score

FAIRFAX, VA. – The Princeton men's volleyball team dropped a five-set heartbreaker to George Mason, 3-2 (22-25, 29-27, 23-25, 28-26, 13-15), on Saturday evening in Fairfax, Va.

Four Tigers hit double figures in kills with Andrew Werner leading at 17. Ryan Vena and Ambrose Engling each tallied 16, while Tristan Whitfield added 10.

How It Happened
Set one was close as the Tigers closed an early deficit with a 6-0 run mid-set. Down 12-9, the Tigers used two blocks and a kill by Whitfield, as well as kills from Werner and Vena, to take a 15-12 lead. As George Mason responded, tying it at 17 before leading again, the Tigers fought to keep it close. With another block by Whitfield, Ambrose Engling and Nolan Kelly, Princeton kept it close at 23-22, but George Mason would take the first one, 25-22.

Set two was razor thin, with the Tigers trailing by just a point into mid-set. With Engling contributing back-to-back kills, the Tigers made a 4-0 run to take a 15-13 lead into the media timeout. With Princeton ahead now, the two-point set continued until George Mason tied it again at 22.

Going into extra points, a kill from Vena down the stretch put Princeton ahead at 27-26. George Mason answered, but another kill from Vena and one more from Whitfield gave the Tigers set two, 29-27.

An early 3-0 run helped Princeton get ahead in the third set, but George Mason tied it at eight and pulled away to lead for most of the set. Rallying late, a block by Kelly tied the game at 21. Engling would add another kill before a Patriot error brought the Tigers to 23, but George Mason was able to close it out, 25-23.

Set four was even closer, as Princeton and George Mason traded points through ten before the Tigers pulled away to lead through 20. With both sides rallying down the stretch, the set would go into extra points as Engling totaled six kills and the Tigers combined for four blocks. With a block by Whitfield and Kelly and a Patriot error calling set, Princeton took game four 28-26 and sent the match into five.

After trading points to kick off set five, the Tigers made a 4-0 run with a kill by Werner and an ace by Engling, leading 8-6. The lead was short-lived, though, as the Patriots answered with their own run and forced a Tiger timeout at 11-10. Not giving up, Princeton tied it at 13 after trailing when Whitfield and Kelly combined for another block. Still, George Mason added another kill and an ace to close out the set, 15-13, and win the match.

Up Next
Princeton will head up to Harvard next weekend as they look to close out the regular season with a spot in the EIVA tournament on the line. The Tigers will face the Crimson on Friday at 7 p.m. and again on Saturday at 4 p.m.