FAIRFAX, Va. (March 26, 2023)
 
In Short…
After the final two sets required extended play, No. 9 Loyola (19-4) edged George Mason (9-12) in a deciding set Sunday afternoon, 25-23, 18-25, 25-21, 27-29, 17-15. Parker Van Buren led the Ramblers with 20 kills (.333) while Cole Schlothauer added 13 kills and team-high 12 digs.
 
With the victory, Loyola improved to 4-2 in five-set decisions this season. Five of those six contests have been played on the road.
 
How it Happened
Loyola nearly overcame a late three-point deficit to clinch the match in the fourth set.
 
The Ramblers came back from trailing 20-17 and took the lead on a block by Jimmy Meinhart and Dan Mangun to move ahead 23-22. Loyola also held a match-point opportunity at 24-23, but lost momentum on a service error in both instances.
 
That opened the door for George Mason to take advantage of the extended play, with the Patriots holding on for the 29-27 win to force the deciding set.
 
In the fifth set, George Mason captured the first two points which forced an early timeout from Loyola.
 
The Ramblers responded out of the stoppage to even the score at 4-4 on a kill by Meinhart. Then, the teams went back and forth as a kill from Yentz kept the offense going for Loyola.
 
George Mason led 8-7 at the switch, before the teams combined to send three of the next four serves into the net.
 
Trailing 10-8, Loyola rattled off an impressive 5-0 run that was sparked by serving specialist Cooper Evans. An ace from Evans put the Ramblers ahead 13-10 as the Maroon and Gold held on down the stretch.
 
George Mason leveled the score at 14-14, before a huge triple block from Mangun, Meinhart and Yentz kept the Ramblers in front. Van Buren, who logged four of the team's eight kills in the final set, made it 16-15 and the match ended on the next point following a George Mason attack error.
 
Yentz finished with eight kills, nine digs and four block assists, while Meinhart recorded seven kills and six block assists. Mangun logged 47 assists at the setter position while libero Matt Oakley registered double-digit digs with 10.
 
George Mason's Omar Hoyos finished with 19 kills along with a double-double effort from Jack Bolz with 17 kills and 17 digs.
 
Inside the Numbers

• Loyola hit .278 while George Mason hit .262 overall in the match
• Evans tied his career high with two aces
• Mangun posted a career high six blocks (1 solo)
• Loyola held the advantage in total team blocks, 13.5 to 7.5
• The contest included 48 tie scores including 15 in the fourth set
• Both teams recorded six aces

Up Next
Loyola will host Lindenwood (Fri.) and Quincy (Sat.) to close out the home portion of the regular season schedule.