FAIRFAX, VA – No. 5 UC Irvine controlled all assets of the game in a 3-0 sweep of George Mason (25-21, 25-17, 25-18) at the Recreation Athletic Complex.

The Anteaters out-hit (.397-.297), aced (9-1) and blocked (7-4) the Patriots.

Outside hitter Hilir Henno was dominant, leading all players with 14 kills, hitting .409. He had a season-high six aces and a team-high seven digs. His six aces are the sixth most in the Big West this season.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
>Outside hitters Nolan Flexen and William D'Arcy each had seven kills and an ace. Flexen totaled three total blocks, including two solos
>Middle blocker Micah Goss went back to his errorless ways with five kills on six swings (.833)
>Middle blocker Maxim Grigoriev tallied five kills, three solo blocks and an ace
>Setter Joe Karlous put up 32 set assists, three digs and a block
>George Mason, who are receiving votes, were led by Gio Collazo with six kills
>UCI improves to 14-4, while the Patriots go to 12-7

FIRST SET
>A kill and two Anteater attack errors helped George Mason out to a 4-2 lead
>Hilir Henno rocketed a serve then had a kill out of the back row on the overpass. His next serve was an ace to put UCI up 11-9
>The Patriots would quickly tie it up at 11s
>A block by Micah Goss and Nolan Flexen was followed by an ace by Flexen to give UCI some space, 16-13
>Consecutive kills by Henno and Maxim Grigoriev made it 20-16
>Flexen would end the set with a kill, 25-21

SECOND SET
>Henno took something off and it dropped for an ace, 3-2
>A Patriot service error, block by Grigoriev and William D'Arcy and kill by Henno pushed the Anteaters out to a 10-8 lead
>George Mason nullified the efforts scoring the next two, 10-10
>D'Arcy went deep cross court for a kill then Joe Karlous rejected a Patriot swing and  D'Arcy dialed up an ace to give the Anteaters the 15-12 advantage
>UCI close the set with the final four points, two on Flexen blocks, a Patriot attack error and a Grigoriev ace, 25-17
>The Anteaters hit .450 (11-2-20) to the Patriots .038 (9-8-26)

THIRD SET
> UCI started with a 8-0 run on the strength of four aces and a kill by Henno
>Consecutive kills by Flexen, Henno and D'Arcy made it 11-1
>Grigoriev would slam an overpass, 17-7
>UCI led 23-13 when the Patriots went on a 5-1 run, four UCI errors, to keep it interesting, 18-24, but a GM service error ended the match 25-18

NOTES
>It's the sixth time this season UCI has recorded 9 or more aces in a game
> It is the 14^th time this season the Anteaters have out-blocked its opponent

UP NEXT
UCI returns to Big West action taking on No. 1 Long Beach State Friday (Mar. 28) at the Walter Pyramid. First serve 7:00 p.m. The two teams will meet at the Bren Events Center Saturday (Mar. 29) at 6:00 p.m. Get Tickets Here.