Sacred Heart
7-9,0-3EIVA
George Mason University
13-7,3-2EIVA
Men's Volleyball Drops EIVA Home Opener to Patriots
3/20/2026 9:35:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
FAIRFIELD, CONN — The Sacred Heart University Men's Volleyball Team lost to the George Mason Patriots in three sets on Friday night at the Pitt Center.
Records:
Sacred Heart (7-9, 0-3 EIVA)
George Mason (13-7, 3-2 EIVA)
Top Performer:
Aleksa Mandic- 10 kills
How It Happened:
Sacred Heart came out strong, using back-to-back service aces from Aleksa Mandic to build an early lead. The Pioneers maintained control through much of the set, with kills from Jack Chow, Zach Flynn, and Jaron Popp helping extend the advantage to as much as six. George Mason responded behind Jackson Herbert and Aidan Weltin, slowly chipping away and eventually tying the set at 16–16. Sacred Heart regained the edge late and earned set point at 24–22 following a service ace from Robert Evangelista, but the Patriots battled back. Consecutive blocks at the net forced Pioneer errors, allowing George Mason to steal the set, 26–24.
George Mason seized momentum early in the second set, jumping out to a quick lead and controlling play throughout. The Patriots' offense, led by Weltin and Herbert, proved difficult to contain, while Sacred Heart struggled to establish consistency. Kills from Flynn, Jack Krausz, and Carter Lyons provided brief momentum for the Pioneers, but multiple service and attack errors limited any sustained run. George Mason continued to apply pressure and closed out the set comfortably, 25–15.
The Pioneers showed resilience in the third set, staying even early as kills from Aleksa Mandic, Lyons, and Popp kept the score level at 8–8. However, George Mason used another mid-set run to create separation, with Weltin and the Patriots' offense finding a steady rhythm. Sacred Heart remained within reach for stretches, but could not string together enough points to close the gap. Despite late efforts from Lyons and Popp, George Mason maintained control and secured the 25–17 win to complete the sweep.
Of Note:
-
Mandic had a team-high 10 kills.
Up Next:
Sacred Heart will face the George Mason Patriots again on March 21th at 4pm in the Pitt Center in the series finale.
