George Mason Starters (5-8, 2-0 Atlantic 10)
Rodriguez, Colter, Gelfound, Gacek, Bova-Ford, Larkin, Halley (L)

Rhode Island Starters (3-11, 0-2 Atlantic 10)
Disu, Owens, Passerello, Abuto, Blahut, Bowman, Blaney (L)

How It Happened
George Mason used its service game to unsettle Rhode Island, handing the Rams a 3-1 (25-17, 19-25, 27-25, 25-18) defeat Saturday afternoon. The visiting Patriots had 18 aces over the four sets while taking the second match of the weekend between the teams.

Set One - George Mason 25, Rhode Island 17
George Mason limited Rhode Island to just seven kills, never allowing the Rams to get its offense on track. Meanwhile, the Patriots had 15 kills and four service aces to roll to the one-set lead. Rhody was within one point at 16-15 following a Samantha Blahut kill, but the Patriots ended the set on a 9-2 run for the early lead.

Set Two - Rhode Island 25, George Mason 19
Rhody bounced back in the second set, jumping out to a 7-2 lead. Even when a George Mason run tied the score at 12-12, the Rams scored seven of the next eight points to build a 19-13 lead. This time, URI did not give up the lead. Samantha Blahut and Madi Disu each had five kills in the set, while Disu and Emma Vente both had two aces to help Rhode Island knot the score, 1-1.

Set Three - George Mason 27, Rhode Island 25
The key third set featured back-and-forth action throughout, with nine ties and three lead changes. Rhode Island had a pair of set points, but an attack error at 24-23 and a service error at 25-24 were costly. George Mason scored the final three points of the set, with the final two coming courtesy of blocks by Chelsea Cotter to put the guests back in front, 2-1.

Set Four - George Mason 25, Rhode Island 18
The fourth set began with tightly-contested contested action that saw the teams tied 8-8 following an Emma Vente kill for URI. However, George Mason went on a 9-1 run that featured four kills and a block by Olyvia Kennedy, as well as two service aces each from Ewelina Gacek and Gracie Halley. With an 18-9 deficit, Rhode Island managed a 7-2 run to pull back within four points at 20-16, but that was as close as it got. One final service ace by Gacek ended the match in favor of the Patriots.

Inside the Box Score

• Freshman Madi Disu contributed a team-high in kills for the second straight match, adding 17.
• Redshirt junior Samantha Blahut collected a season-best 10 kills. She added one solo block and two block assists.
• Freshman Chloe Abuto led the defense with nine total blocks, adding one solo block an eight block assists. The nine total blocks in the single match crack the top 10 all-time.  
• Hope Passarello handled the setting duties for Rhody. The redshirt sophomore had 26 assists and added two kills. 
• The sweep was the first for the Patriots in the all-time series between the two teams.