FAIRFAX, VA–George Mason topped No. 15 NJIT, 3-1, in EIVA Conference men's volleyball action Friday evening inside the Recreation Athletic Complex.

George Mason improves to 9-11 overall, 4-6 in the conference and 5-2 at home while NJIT, who entered the match winners of its last two matches, moves to 11-7 overall, 6-3 in the EIVA.

The Patriots took a 2-0 advantage with a 38-36 win in the first set and 25-21 victory in the second frame.  NJIT battled back in the third frame to force a fourth set with a 25-20 victory.  The Patriots secured the win in the fourth set with a 25-22 win to earn the 3-1 victory.

The two teams split the regular season series with the Highlanders sweeping the Patriots on February 11 in Newark and George Mason earning the 3-1 victory Friday night.

George Mason's Jack Bolz led the match with 21 kills while adding seven digs and six total blocks (all assists) followed by Omar Hoyos who registered 12 kills, six digs, three aces and three total blocks (all assists).

NJIT was paced by reigning AVCA Sports Import National Player of the Week Julian Meissner and Alessandro Negri who each combined for 13 kills.  Jens Felthus and Martin de Chavarria each recorded nine kills for NJIT.  De Chavarria finished the match with a .667 hitting percentage on 12 swings with just one error.  

In front of the net, Chavarria, who tops the EIVA in blocks per set and entered the weekend ranked fourth in the nation in blocks per set, notched 10 total kills (two solo, eight assists), marking a new personal-best for the junior from Spain.

Meissner added eight total blocks (one solo; seven assists) followed by five total blocks (two solo; three assists) from Carson Williams.  Williams added seven kills on 12 attempts with two errors for a .417 hitting percentage.

Negri's 10 digs led the Highlander defense and Feldthus recorded three aces in the match.

NJIT scored the first point of the set and George Mason responded to take a 5-2 lead.  NJIT rallied back to pull within one, 7-6, but the Patriots used a 4-1 spurt for a 10-7 lead, resulting in an NJIT timeout.  The Highlanders used a 4-0 run to regain its lead, 13-12, resulting in a George Mason timeout.  Tied at 18-all, NJIT rallied and took a two-point lead, 23-21, but the Patriots scored two consecutive of their own, knotting the set at 23-23, resulting in a timeout by the Highlanders.  The set saw 10 more ties and went extra points with the Patriots, registering the final two points of the set on a kill by Jack Bolz and an attacking error by the Highlanders for a 38-36 victory.

Both teams traded points to start the second set with neither team leading by more than one point.  NJIT, leading 11-10, after four straight points found themselves down by five, 15-11, behind a 5-0 spurt from the Patriots, resulting in a Highlander timeout.  NJIT slimmed the Patriots lead to two, 21-19, but George Mason finished off the set on a 4-2 run to take a 2-0 advantage with a 25-21 win.

NJIT used an early 5-0 run to take an 11-7 lead capped by a solo block from Julian Meissner.  George Mason rallied its way back into the set, slimming the Highlander deficit to two, 18-16.  NJIT held a 21-15 lead and closed out the set on a kill by Martin de Chavarria to force a fourth set with a 25-20 victory.

The Highlanders jumped out to a 6-3 lead in the fourth frame but the Patriots knotted the set at 7-7 and went on a 6-0 run, taking a 13-7 lead and later extended to 15-11.  NJIT used a late 4-0 run to regain the lead 21-20 resulting in a George Mason timeout.  George Mason scored the final five out of six points to record the 25-22 victory.

NJIT will have a quick turnaround and travel to Princeton on Saturday for EIVA Conference action.  First spike is set for 5pm on ESPN+.