Situation 1: In order to host the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament, the women’s volleyball team must win their final two games and have the Delaware Blue Hens drop their final two. No matter what the VCU Rams do, Mason will have the advantage due to sweeping VCU.
1. Mason
2. Delaware
3. VCU
However, it is still possible for all three teams to finish with an 11-3 conference record. Thus, the tiebreak advantage is as follows:
1. Mason > VCU
2. VCU > Delaware
3. Delaware > Mason
Tonight’s match between Mason and VCU will determine whether the intransitive relationship will happen.
Situation 2: Otherwise, Mason will still have the opportunity to fight for the second seed in the tournament. If the Blue Hens win their final two games, Mason can still earn the second seed by winning their final two games. No matter what VCU does from there, Mason holds the advantage.
1. Delaware
2. Mason
3. VCU
If Mason were to split their final two matches, the William & Mary Tribe would need to win their remaining matches to force a tie for third place. The Northeastern Huskies are still in the hunt for a playoff spot, but if they were to win out, Mason will still be ahead in the standings if Mason were to drop the final two matches. The Hofstra Pride are still hanging in there, but like Northeastern, the Pride have no influence on Mason’s seeding. Essentially, the pieces are far from being assembled for the CAA Tournament, but tonight’s results can be a major factor in determining Mason’s position.
Update: The Rams rallied from a 2-1 set deficit and inched past Mason with a 15-13 win in the fifth set. Mason dropped to 9-4 in the conference. With the Tribe winning tonight, Mason remains in third place, but now hold a half-game lead. The Rams improved to 10-2 in the conference, but hold the advantage over the Blue Hens. The top four teams’ records are as follows:
1. VCU 10-2
2. Delaware 10-2
3. Mason 9-4
4. William & Mary 8-4
Mason will host their final match of the regular season at the RAC as they take on the James Madison Dukes on Saturday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m.
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