Diedrich's Defense Helps 'Dons to a 3-1 Victory Over Patriots

Saturday, January 25

Fairfax, Va.

7 PM

Purdue Fort Wayne

4-2,0-0MIVA

George Mason

3-3,0-0EIVA

Purdue Fort Wayne

George Mason

Richie Diedrich

Diedrich's Defense Helps 'Dons to a 3-1 Victory Over Patriots

1/25/2020 9:00:00 PM | Men's Volleyball

Box Score Box Score

FAIRFAX, Va. - The No. 11 Purdue Fort Wayne men's volleyball program earned its second road victory of the season after a 3-1 (25-18, 20-25, 25-19, 25-19) victory against No. 12 George Mason on Saturday (Jan. 25).

Richie Diedrich tallied a career-high 12 total blocks, contributing to the 18 total team blocks. This is the most blocks the Mastodons have had since February 3, 2017 against McKendree.

In the first set, the Mastodons took the lead early with a 3-1 lead. Diedrich started the 'Dons off with a kill and a service ace. After tying it up 6-6, Purdue Fort Wayne went on their first four-point scoring run to make the score 10-6. The Patriots came back with a five-point scoring run after a timeout, but the Mastodons fired back with another four-point scoring run. Diedrich earned five blocks and Pelegrin Vargas had five kills in the first set.

The Patriots took the lead early in the second set and held it for the duration. Tomas Gago recorded seven kills with no attack errors and Diedrich had two more blocks.

Set three was neck and neck until late. Neither team had more than a two-point lead up until the Mastodons pushed the lead to 19-16.Wilmer Hernandez had a kill and the Patriots had three attack errors allowing Purdue Fort Wayne to take a three-point lead. Jon Diedrich had two kills in a row, moving the lead from 19-17 to 22-17. George Mason could not retaliate and the 'Dons ended the set 25-19.

The momentum didn't stop for Purdue Fort Wayne and set four was all Mastodons. Vargas had three kills in a row to go up 14-9, which concluded a 7-1 run. R. Diedrich had two blocks in this stretch. The rest of the match was back and forth, but the 'Dons had built up a lead that would hold the rest of the way.

Vargas earned himself a double-double, with 20 kills and 10 digs. Gago contributed 12 kills and .391 hitting. Troy Gooch had a career-high 12 digs and Frederico Santos had 40 assists. The Mastodons kept the Patriots at .000 hitting percentage in the first set and the fourth set, and Mason finished with just .061 hitting.

Purdue Fort Wayne escalates to a record of 4-2, while George Mason falls to 3-3. The Mastodons will return to Fort Wayne on Friday (Feb. 7) for a match up against Urbana at 7 p.m. ET. This will be the first time the 'Dons have ever played the Blue Knights, as they are in the first season of the program's history.

~Feel the Rumble~