University of Dayton Athletics

FAIRFAX, Va. – The University of Dayton volleyball team handled George Mason in straight sets on Saturday afternoon (25-18, 30-28, 25-18).

After George Mason was leading 7-6 to start the day, the Flyers took their first lead of the day on kills for senior Gabriela Machin Borges and fifth-year Kaleigh Meritt, going up 9-7 with an attack error for the Patriots. GMU kept the set close, but the Flyers widened their lead to 19-13 with kills for senior Kamryn Hunt and Machin Borges, an ace for graduate Rylee Sloss and an attack error. A pair of attack errors and a block for Meritt and junior Abigail Cresse earned the set win.

Set two held much closer with 21 tie scores. Dayton went on a four-point run, spurred by a kill for Cresse, tacking on points on an attack error and blocks from duos of Hunt-Liening and Liening-Vinson to take a 21-18 lead. George Mason responded, breaking out into a back-and-forth for extra points. Tied at 28 apiece, Hunt earned set point before Liening and Sloss combined for a block to take a 2-0 set lead.

Already leading 12-8 in the third set, Dayton took advantage of a service error by the Patriots, tallying back-to-back blocks for the Flyers, with Vinson joining Cresse and Hunt on each one to set up the technical timeout. Errors aided Dayton during the remainder of the set, with a kill for Machin Borges ending the day.

BY THE NUMBERS
9 – Kills for Kamryn Hunt and Gabriela Machin Borges

.500 – Attack percentage for Ava Liening, Kaleigh Meritt and Machin Borges

2 – Service aces for Rylee Sloss, leading the Flyers

5 – Block assists for Charlotte Vinson, contributing to Dayton's 16 block assists

8 – Total team blocks for Dayton, over George Mason's two

UP NEXT
Dayton will play its final home matches of 2026 on Nov. 6-7 against Rhode Island in the Frericks Center. Friday night will be Senior Night.