Oct. 5, 2002

Freshman Steve Alabi had two goals and freshman Damian O'Rourke added a goal and an assist to lift George Mason to a 3-0 victory over James Madison in a Colonial Athletic Association men's soccer game at the JMU Soccer Field in Harrisonburg, VA.

George Mason won its second straight game to improve to 6-1-2 overall and to 1-0 in the CAA, while James Madison lost its seventh straight game to fall to 4-7 overall, 0-1 in the CAA.

The Patriots got all three of their goals in the first half. Alabi netted his first goal on a rebound at 7:56 after a shot by O'Rourke was initially stopped by JMU senior goalkeeper Josh Kovolenko. O'Rourke then scored his first collegiate goal on a one-yard shot at 33:10, receiving the ball off a flick header by sophomore Danny Climo off a corner kick by freshman Sean Malee. Alabi then posted his first career multi-goal game and got his third goal in the last two contests as he scored unassisted on an 18-yard shot at 42:11.

JMU, playing a man down for the second half after a player was ejected just before halftime, had several good scoring chances in the second period. George Mason sophomore goalkeeper John O'Hara made a diving save on a 25-yard shot by Dukes senior Andrew Rutledge in the 52nd minute, and another shot by Rutledge hit the post in the 71st minute. Senior Patrice Filin also had a shot stopped by O'Hara in the 75th minute.

O'Hara finished with five saves as he recorded his fifth shutout of the year and the ninth of his career, all in his last 19 games. Kovolenko also had five saves for the Dukes.

George Mason remains on the road for two more CAA contests this week, visiting Old Dominion Friday and William & Mary Saturday, both at 7 p.m.