FAIRFAX, Va -- Intensity fuels his game. Mike Mauro, a junior outside hitter for George Mason University, excels in high-pressure situations.

"He's got to be the guy that if we get into trouble, we know we can throw the ball up to and he can get us out," said George Mason Coach Randy Shayka. "He's gonna put the ball away for us."

The vigor with which Mauro plays the game is evident through his actions on the court. He can get very vocal during games, which is sometimes positive, and at other times negative.

"Sometimes I get a little carried away," the Bridgewater, N.J., native said. "When I'm out there bitching and moaning, that's bad."

Honors and the national spotlight don't come easy or often when playing for an unranked east coast team. But when they do happen, they're usually well deserved.

Last week, Mauro earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association's national player-of-the-week award. His team-leading 6.27 kills per game helped him reel in the award, much to his surprise.

"I didn't even even know what it was when they told me," Mauro said. "It's nice to win an award. It's like all this work I've been doing has paid off."

The on-court leader of the Patriots took control of last Saturday's match against Penn State several times. He invigorated his teammates and the crowd with energetic kills and sideouts, much to the dismay of the Lions.

"We kept trying to figure out our defense against (Mauro's) cross-court hitting," Penn State Coach Tom Peterson said. "He did a nice job against us."

Just when the Lions would gain momentum, Mauro would slam down a loose ball for a George Mason sideout. His versatility enabled the Patriots to stretch the match to four games. He knocked down 31 kills to go along with nine digs and three blocks. Not a bad night's work.

"Mike is a great player," Lions middle blocker Ramon Hernandez said. "He hit really well from both the front row and the back row."