Oct. 20, 2006
The George Mason women's soccer team will play its final home match of the season on Friday night when the Patriots host Virginia Commonwealth at George Mason Stadium at 7 p.m. The match will be the final one in front of the home crowd for Olivia Brown, Mason's lone senior. Brown will make the start in net for the Patriots.
Mason will be looking to snap a two-match losing streak as the Patriots fell to two of the top teams in the Colonial Athletic Association last weekend. Old Dominion downed the Patriots 2-1 with the game-winner coming in the final minute while nationally-ranked William & Mary barely escaped from Fairfax with a 3-2 win.
The Patriots have played excellent soccer over their past five matches, winning three of those with both losses coming by just one goal. Mason is 6-9-1 on the year with six of their nine losses coming by one goal. The Patriots have also been ravaged by injuries. Mason was 3-1-1 on the year before injuries began to take their toll. Jessica Paris, Mary Raveia and Annie Lebherz are out for the season with knee injuries, Amanda Schmidt is out for the year with a leg injury and Kasey Davenport will be out Friday's match with a head injury.
Despite the injuries, many of the Patriots have risen to the challenge. Rachel Wiggins has scored eight goals and has three assists and is among the top five in the conference in goals and points. L.J. Williams, who missed 2005 with an injury, has five goals and three assists and Sarah Fack has contributed with three goals and three assists. Laura Salichs has played exceptional defense this season and was the first Mason player in school history selected to Soccer Buzz's National Elite Team of the Week.
Several newcomers have also made a big impact as midfielder Leslie Cabe has a team-high four assists, Kelly Keelan has a goal and an assist over the past three games and Sasha Vido and Hannah Sklar have stepped into the starting lineup and made immediate contributions.
After coming up just short against the Monarchs and the Tribe, the Patriots will need as good, if not a better effort, against the Rams. Jansson Pernilla and Hayley Moorwood lead the VCU attack with six goals and three assists apiece while Stephanie Power has five assists and three goals. The Rams have played superb defense, allowing just 14 goals while running up an 11-3-2 record. The Rams have six shutouts and are 5-0-1 in those contests.
