George Washington University Athletics
George Washington University
GEORGE MASON
Men's Soccer Tripped Up by George Mason
9/16/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Sept. 16, 2006
WASHINGTON, DC - The George Washington men's soccer team surrendered only its second goal in three matches, but failed to score for the third time in four games en route to a 1-0 loss to local-rival George Mason at Mount Vernon Field on Saturday.
George Washington (2-3-1) fell to 1-1-1 through the first three games of its four-match home-stand. The Colonials will close their home non-conference slate against Lehigh at Mount Vernon Field on Wednesday, September 20 at 3:00 pm.
George Mason (4-2-0) forward Dan Ames notched the game-winning goal in the 26th minute to lead the Patriots to their third straight victory. Midfielder Francis McArdle made an overlapping run down the left sideline and sent a low cross in front of the GW net. Ames made a streaking run from the right side of the box and one-timed a shot to the right corner of the net for the deciding goal.
A steady drizzle fell on Mount Vernon's synthetic turf throughout the match, which nearly aided the Colonials in netting the equalizing tally. Following a yellow-card booking to Mason's Jacob Weitz in the 86th minute, GW rookie George Garcia fired a 60-yard free-kick toward the Patriots' goal. The service sailed over a number of players, skipped off the wet surface and up into the crossbar, where it was cleared by a Mason defender.
That play was one of three prime second-half scoring chances for GW. In the 54th minute, freshman Erick Perez-Segnini dribbled from the middle of the field into the 18-yard box only to have his shot thwarted by a charging GMU goalkeeper. With 13 minutes remaining, junior Thomas Stuber corralled an awkward bounce in front of the net, but the Mason goalkeeper came off his line to cover the ball before Stuber could fire a shot.
"I felt we were second to the ball a little too often in the first half and gave Mason too much room," said GW head coach George Lidster. "We played much better in the second half, created some chances and were a bit unlucky not to tie it up. Our back four did a nice job, especially Byron Walker, who did quite well replacing Jeremiah Burke in the center." Burke exited the match in the 17th minute and did not return.
GW was out-shot, 14-11, but held a 4-3 advantage in corner kicks. Junior goalkeeper Greg Yahr turned away five of Mason's six shots on goal, while Patriots net-minder Sean Kelley made three stops to post his third consecutive shutout.
Perez-Segnini and junior Matt Davis led the Colonials' offense with three shots apiece.
