WASHINGTON, D.C. – Howard University volleyball battled George Mason in its first five-set match of the season Sunday in Burr Gymnasium, but the Bison came up just short in a 3-2 setback.
Howard opened the match in strong fashion, taking the first two sets, 25-17 and 25-15, before George Mason rallied to win the final three frames, 26-24, 25-19 and 15-13.
The Bison controlled the opening set behind a dominant run midway through the frame. With the score tied at 4-4, Howard scored five consecutive points, highlighted by three service aces from sophomore
Alexys James (Houston, Texas), to take a 9-4 advantage. The Bison continued to build their lead before closing the set with a 25-17 victory.
Howard carried that momentum into the second set. After an early back-and-forth start, the Bison used a 10-2 run to turn a 9-9 tie into a 19-9 advantage. Howard maintained control down the stretch and claimed the second set, 25-15, to take a 2-0 match lead.
George Mason responded in the third set, overcoming several Howard rallies to force extra points. The Patriots eventually escaped with a 26-24 victory to extend the match.
The visitors evened the contest with several timely kills and by capitalizing on Howard errors to build momentum and eventually pull away in the fourth set, winning 25-19.
In the decisive fifth set, Howard jumped out to an early 9-5 advantage. George Mason, however, battled back to take control late in the frame. The Patriots held off the Bison down the stretch to secure the 15-13 set victory and the 3-2 match win.
Rookie
Addison Buckner (Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin) recorded her first career double-double (15 kills, 10 digs) in the matchup, highlighting a strong individual performance for the Bison.
The match marked the first five-set contest of the season for both Howard and George Mason.
The Bison return to action Thursday, Sept. 3, at 6 p.m. when they face Syracuse at the Cornell Invitational in Ithaca, NY.
For more information on Howard University volleyball, visit the official Howard Athletics website at
www.hubison.com.
