FAIRFAX, Va. - Senior Ashley Felton had a team-high 14 kills for La Salle volleyball, who dropped a narrow 3-2 (28-30, 25-23, 25-23, 22-25, 15-11) decision at George Mason on Saturday evening. Felton also hit an impressive .440 and had six blocks for the Explorers, while junior Bryanna Davis and freshman Devin Corah each had 13 kills.

The Patriots raced out to an 19-13 lead in the opening set, before La Salle went on an 8-2 run that tied it up at 21-21. Sophomore Madison Kuch had a pair of kills over the span, leading to a nip-and-tuck battle in which neither team led by more than one point until consecutive points for the Explorers secured the first set.

In the second set, a kill from Felton gave La Salle a brief 17-16 lead. But the Patriots scored four of the next five points to take control. The Explorers made a late push and cut the deficit to 24-23 after a kill from Kuch, but GMU's Maddie French put a ball away to knot the contest at one set apiece.

George Mason scored 10 of the first 15 points of the third set, and held a comfortable lead until late in the frame. The Explorers avoided four set points and pulled within one at 24-23 but could not get over the hump as a kill from Tiffany Clarke put the Patriots one set away from victory.

La Salle did not go down without a fight, however, and raced out to an 11-3 lead in the fourth set. A solid defense was the driving force, as the Explorers recorded three blocks over the span. George Mason slowly came back and tied the set at 17-17, and the score was against tied at 22-22 before La Salle regrouped with three straight points to force a decisive fifth set.

The Explorers held a brief 2-1 lead in the fifth before GMU ran off five straight points. La Salle came back to tie the set at 7-7, but it was not to be as the Patriots scored eight of the next 12 points to take away their second straight win.

La Salle returns home for a pair of league contests next weekend, beginning with a matchup with Saint Louis at Gola Arena on Friday, Nov. 4 at 7:00 p.m.