WOMEN'S SOCCER vs. #18 Wake Forest
WHEN: Friday, Sept. 1, 7:00 p.m.
WHERE: Fairfax, Va. |
Facility Info |
Weather
RECORDS: Mason (0-3-0, 0-0-0 A-10); #18 Wake Forest (4-0-0, 0-0-0 ACC)
SERIES RECORD: Wake Forest leads 1-0-0
LAST MEETING: The Demon Deacons defeated the Patriots 1-0 on Sept. 13, 2015 at Spry Stadium in Winston Salem, N.C.
COVERAGE:
A-10 Network ($) |
Live stats
GAME OF THE WEEK | Mason students will receive a hot dog, chips and Coke with a valid student ID.
WOMEN'S SOCCER vs. Maryland
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 3, 7:00 p.m.
WHERE: Fairfax, Va. |
Facility Info |
Weather
RECORDS: Mason (0-3-0, 0-0-0 A-10), Maryland (3-0-1, 0-0-0 B1G TEN)
SERIES RECORD: Maryland leads 15-6-1
LAST MEETING: The Patriots defeated the Terrapins 5-2 on Sept. 11, 2016 at Ludwig Field in College Park, Md.
COVERAGE: A-10 Network ($) |
Live stats
FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason women's soccer team begins a three-game homestand, hosting No. 18 Wake Forest on Friday and Maryland on Sunday, with the kickoff for both games scheduled for 7 p.m. at George Mason Stadium.
"The preparation leading into the weekend has been excellent," head coach
Todd Bramble said. "I'm really proud of how the players have responded. We've gotten great leadership from the upperclassmen and the team is optimistic and confident that we can go out and put a good performance together."
Mason (0-3-0) looks for its first win of the season after falling 1-0 at Howard last weekend. The Patriots finished with a 20-3 advantage in shots, including 6-1 in shots on goal against the Bison. Senior
Abby Downey led all players with six shot attempts and two shots on goal in the match.
The Patriots will play six of their next seven games at home. When Mason plays No. 18 Wake Forest on Friday, it will be the eighth time that the Patriots have faced an opponent ranked in the top 25 of the NCAA United Soccer Coaches poll in the last seven seasons.
"We need to put together a complete performance and play together as a team," said Bramble. "We need to defend well as a team and we need to keep the ball when we get our foot on it. I know we are going to create some chances in the game and when those chances come we have to be composed enough to finish."
Mason and Wake Forest have met only once, with the Demon Deacons converting on a penalty kick in the 67th minute to claim a 1-0 win on Sept. 13, 2015 at Spry Stadium in Winston Salem, N.C. The Demon Deacons outshot the Patriots 21-5 in the game, including a 6-3 advantage in shots on goal.
Erin Mitchell,
Daniela Neves and
Kaila Williams each recorded one shot on goal in the match for Mason.
"It's a great opportunity to have a program as good as Wake Forest come in here to play us on our home field," Bramble said. "We want to make it a great soccer game and enjoy the experience. It's going to be really fun for the players and the fans. Everything about this night is something to look forward to."
SCOUTING WAKE FOREST
Wake Forest finished the 2016 season with a 10-8-0 overall record and posted a 2-8-0 mark in Atlantic Coast Conference. Wake Forest went 8-3-0 at home and 2-5-0 on the road during the 2016 campaign.
The Demon Deacons recorded seven of their 10 wins by shutout last season, one shy of the program record.
Wake Forest (4-0-0) has moved into the top 25 after winning its first four games of the season, outscoring opponents by a combined score of 11-2. Three of the Demon Deacons victories have been by shutout.
The Demon Deacons have not surrendered a goal on the road this season, blanking Georgia 1-0 on Sept. 18 and Davidson 4-0 on Sept. 20 to begin the season. Wake Forest then picked up home victories against No. 3 South Carolina 3-2 and Charlotte 3-0.
Freshman Hannah Betfort leads the team with three goals and six points. Senior Maddie Huster, who was named ACC Co-Offensive Player of the Week, is second on the team with two goals and five points. Seven players have netted at least one goal for the Demon Deacons through the team's first four games of the season.
Senior goalkeeper Lindsay Preston has made 10 saves in four starts and enters the match against Mason with a 0.61 goals against average.
SCOUTING MARYLAND
The Terrapins finished the 2016 season with an overall record of 3-15-1 and were outscored by a combined score of 48-21. Maryland posted a record of 1-10-0 against Big Ten opponents, while finishing 1-8-1 at home and 2-7-0 on the road last season.
Maryland (3-0-1) earned a victory in each of its first three games this season and has already equaled its win total from a year ago. The Terrapins began the season with a pair of home wins, defeating Drexel 2-1 on Aug. 18 and Navy 3-0 on Aug. 20 at Ludwig Field and then edged Gardner-Webb 2-1 in overtime on Aug. 25 in Boiling Springs, S.C. before a 1-1 tie at Furman Sunday.
Maryland hosts Richmond at 7 p.m. on Thursday before the matchup at Mason.
Freshman Makayla Dayes leads the Terrapins in goals (3), assists (2) and points (8). Dayes, a native of Brampton, Ontario, was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week after scoring two goals against Gardner-Webb, including the game winner in the 104th minute.
Junior goalkeeper Rachel Egyed has surrendered only three goals in four starts and enters the weekend with a 0.77 goals against average.
Last season, Mason scored three goals in the first half in a 5-2 victory over Maryland at Ludwig Field.
Sarah Hardison and
Alex Myers each scored twice and Mitchell also found the back of the net for Mason. The Patriots earned a win at College Park for the first time since a 2-1 victory on Oct. 5, 1994.
"Our players are smart enough to know this is going to be a completely different game than we had last year," Bramble said about facing the Terrapins. "From what we know about Maryland so far, they look like they are playing well and it will be another big test for us on Sunday. "
CORNER KICK
Mason's 13 victories last season were the most for the program since the Patriots finished with a 14-4-1 record in 2009. The Patriots finished with a 7-3-1 record at George Mason Stadium, tied for the fifth-most home wins in program history.
