By Caitlin Butler
George Mason High School’s volleyball team took down visiting Manassas Park High School in three sets Tuesday night for the team to claim its third straight win.
The hometown Mustangs (5-3) started strong and never slowed down in a match that quickly became a blowout.
“In the past years we have had problems with coming out strong,” said junior outside hitter Megan Boesen. “That has been a big focus for this year and I think we really implemented that from the get-go coming out and trying to play at our level.”
Mason’s ease against the Cougars was evident in Manassas Park’s service error to open the match. The Mustangs defense didn’t allow the Cougars to get above five points the first set, while Boesen’s proficiency serving the ball helped Mason capture the first set with a 25-5 final margin.
The Cougars made things a bit more interesting in the second set. Manassas Park was able to keep the Mustangs honest by stopping their runs with points of their own. But multiple blocks from junior middle hitter Roza Gal tee’d up fellow junior middle hitter Vanessa George’s set-clinching point after she was assisted by junior setter Olivia Pilson, giving Mason the 25-11 win.
The third set of the evening started out with more intensity than the first.
Mason head coach Derek Baxter ensured his team wouldn’t let up on their struggling opponent.
“No matter who we are playing, we have to go in strong and I made sure of that,” said Baxter.
Mason responded to their coach’s call by stringing together eight consecutive points to start the set.
The hands of Gal and junior setter Alexis Holewinski on the front line made it hard for the Cougars to get the ball over the net successfully.
Following a Cougar shot out of bounds, junior libero Caroline Poley clinched the match for Mason by sniping back-to-back aces for the Mustangs to take set three with a 25-5 punctuating win.
The Mustangs will host Skyline High School at 7 p.m. tonight before heading to Brentsville District High School to face the Tigers next week.
