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The sun sets at George Mason Stadium in Fairfax, Va., as the Patriots take on William & Mary Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026. (Brian A. Hayum / Fourth Estate)

BY BRIAN A. HAYUM, SPORTS EDITOR

George Mason men’s soccer had a statement win slip through their fingers at George Mason Stadium Tuesday night, tying the fifteenth-ranked team in the country — Marshall University — after blowing a 3-0 lead in the second half. 

The heartbreaking tie comes off a home-opening 3-1 win against in-state rival William & Mary Thursday, Aug. 27. The result is also a tough pill to swallow for the Patriots, as they will play their next four games on the road. 

Fifth year Matias de Jesus opened the scoring on Tuesday in the fifth minute of the game with his second goal of the season. The midfielder capitalized on an errant back pass from Marshall’s defense with a curling finish in the bottom right corner of the net. The early goal set the tone for the first half, as Marshall collected 6 fouls, including two yellow cards, in the first 15 minutes.

Senior forward Kelly Janssen, one of Mason’s three preseason All-Conference selections, doubled the lead for the Patriots in the waning minutes of the second half, cutting through Marshall’s back line and finishing with a composed shot that found the bottom left corner of the net.

Going into the latter half with the lead for two consecutive games, an early second-half goal by senior midfielder Quentin Clain gave Mason a seemingly insurmountable 3-goal lead. Redshirt freshman John Balkey sent a perfectly weighted pass to a wide-open Clain, beating the Marshall keeper for the Patriots’ third goal of the night. 

Marshall’s junior forward Nikita Pakhomov responded in style shortly after, scoring the goal of the night: a powerful shot from distance that beat Mason’s sophomore goalkeeper Angel Hernandez. With momentum on Marshall’s side, Pakhomov’s impressive goal was a sign of things to come.

Marshall earned a penalty kick with 12 minutes left in the game after sophomore forward Matthew Dean kicked Marshall senior forward Carl Romberg while attempting to clear a ball from the goal. Redshirt senior goalkeeper Jack Desroches, who came on to replace an injured Hernandez, saved the penalty shot to his bottom left, becoming the hero of the moment. The save from Desroches only delayed the inevitable, as Marshall scored their second and third goals shortly after to shock the Patriots.

Mason fans, who were left stunned after Marshall’s comeback-clinching third goal, got to breathe a sigh of relief when the referee immediately raised his hand, nullifying the goal for an offensive foul on Marshall. The decision went to video review, where the call was reversed, giving Marshall their game-tying moment back.

To the confusion of the crowd and viewers at home, the referee would go back to the monitor to review the play again. This time, to check for a potential offside on a Marshall player. The referee confirmed, once again, his decision to award Marshall the goal. 

The drama wouldn’t end there. With 10 seconds left, Marshall’s sophomore defender Luka Lukic used all of his 6-foot-4 height to guide a header destined for the top right corner. Once again, Desroches came to the rescue, palming away what would’ve been the completion of a 4-goal, game-winning comeback for Marshall.

Mason fans let out a collective sigh of relief at full time, as the result leaves Mason with an up-and-down 1-1-1 record through the first three games of the season. Up next, the Patriots prepare to play West Virginia to start their four-game gauntlet on the road. Fans can tune in on ESPN+ Monday, Sept. 7 at 7 p.m.

Senior libero Autumn Martinez-Robinson (bottom left), junior hitter Avery Booker (left) and sophomore hitter Nia Thompson (right) show excitement after a hard-earned point against Northwestern Aug. 28. (Art Pittman / George Mason Athletics)

BY PETER MAHLER, STAFF WRITER

Riding a raucous home crowd at the RAC, George Mason women’s volleyball opened its season on Friday with a Power Four win, outlasting Northwestern in four sets. 

Mason Head Coach Megan Shifflett Bachmann said the home-court atmosphere was “fantastic.”

“I thought that the kids responded in kind. They felt that energy and they ran with it out of the gate,” said the fifth-year coach.

The Patriots took the first set 25-23 and survived an even tighter second set. The Wildcats fought through every rally, with neither team pulling away by more than three points.

With the set tied at 26 and the ball in her hands, senior libero Autumn Martinez-Robinson served back-to-back aces for the 28-26 win, sending the RAC into pandemonium as Mason took a two-set lead.

The excitement didn’t last long. Northwestern locked down the Mason attack, winning the third set 25-18. The Wildcat defense limited Mason to just seven kills and a .138 hitting percentage in the third. Shifflett Bachmann made sure to praise her team’s response.

“You could feel the energy drift out of the room,” Shifflett Bachmann said. “They needed to endure that … I was really proud of them, because they could have let that slip away.” 

“When it counted, they stepped back up,” she said.

Mason relied heavily on senior setter Camryn Weldon. Down 16-20 in the fourth set, Weldon’s three kills and six assists helped cut the deficit to one.

Senior setter Gabriella Gelfound made her first appearance for Mason since 2023 when she was subbed in midway through the fourth set. After spending the last two seasons recovering from two ACL surgeries, she immediately recorded a kill on her very first touch, and would add another before tying the set at 23 with a crucial block.

Her performance did not go unnoticed, as the crowd began to chant her name.

Gelfound, feeling the emotions of the moment, said she relishes the adversity generated from her injuries.

“It’s just another day in the office,” she said. 

Two costly errors by Northwestern, including a net violation during the final point, sealed the comeback. Despite never leading the final set by more than a point until the very end, Mason came out victorious, 25-23.

Sophomore hitter Kiera Hamilton, last season’s A10 Rookie of the Year, led the Patriots with 15 kills, while sophomore hitter Nia Thompson added an efficient 13 kills on 29 attempts. Thompson credits her “goldfish mentality” with helping her move on to the next play with ease.

Following this win, Mason faces a quick turnaround as they venture to Georgetown for the second match of the DC Challenge. Fans can tune in on ESPN+ today at 4 p.m.

Hitter Kiera Hamilton (left) celebrates with her teammates, hitter Haley Graetz (center) and middle blocker Chelsea Colter (right) during an October 2025 matchup against Davidson. (Davon Marion / Fourth Estate)

BY PETER MAHLER, STAFF WRITER

After coaching George Mason women’s volleyball to its most successful season in over a decade, Head Coach Megan Shifflett Bachmann says her team is the most competitive she’s ever seen entering the 2026 season. 

“We’re gonna beat it into our new kids’ heads early … that we’re here to compete for championships.”

Fresh off the team’s first Atlantic 10 tournament appearance in seven years, the Patriots rank fourth in the conference preseason poll — the highest ranking in program history. Still, no amount of outside pressure seems to affect Shifflett Bachmann’s preparation.

“I’ve never been one to put much stock in any of that stuff,” she said. “We haven’t proven anything yet to anyone … when we’re in the gym, when we’re practicing, it’s easy to close the doors and just focus on us.” 

Sophomore hitter Kiera Hamilton, last season’s A10 Rookie of the Year, says the new freshmen are “raising the bar.” Setter McKenna Reynolds and defensive specialist Ady Bollinger along with hitters Jenna Hunt and Rylee Kinnell arrive with the chance to elevate a team full of motivation.

“They’re awesome,” Hamilton said. “They’re pushing us all to be better, and the defense in the gym is insane each day.” 

Beyond the competitive practices, Hamilton said the team feels connected. 

“We’ve all gotten really good at leaning on one another,” Hamilton said. “There’s no single person out there doing one thing. Everything’s a group effort.”

Shifflett Bachmann believes her team’s chemistry gives way to “lightning in a bottle” practices where competition is at its peak.

“There was one day in particular where [the team] had an out-of-body experience,” she said. “When it was over, they all sort of looked at each other and were like, ‘Wow, that was so much fun! That’s the most competitive we’ve ever played in the gym before!’”

“It’s great to capture those moments because it’s a reminder that this is what it should be like every day.”

Mason will look to channel that fire during the DC Challenge, three back-to-back non-conference matches against Northwestern, Georgetown and Howard to open the season. Fans can tune in for the home opener against Northwestern live on ESPN+ at 6 p.m. today, or they can watch from the stands for free at the RAC.