Nov. 14, 2008

Box Score

WILMINGTON, N.C. - Third-seeded George Mason (12-6-2, 6-4-1 CAA) defeated second seed William and Mary (10-6-3, 6-4-1 CAA) by a final score of 5-3 in the semifinal round of the CAA Championship on Friday evening at UNCW Soccer Stadium in Wilmington, N.C. The Patriots equaled a school record set a mere three days ago for most goals scored in a CAA Championship match in the win.

George Mason, which extended its winning streak to six with the victory, advances to Sunday's 1 p.m. championship match against fifth-seeded Northeastern. The Huskies won a penalty kick shootout with top seed UNC Wilmington in the first semifinal of the day to advance to the final. The Patriots will be making their second trip to the CAA title game in the past three years, but will be looking to win the tournament for the first time since the CAA adopted its current format beginning with the 1990 season.

Senior forward Kwame Adjeman-Pamboe scored a pair of goals for the Patriots, while freshman midfielder Eber Martinez contributed a goal and two assists. Junior forward Andrew Hoxie recorded two goals and an assist to lead the Tribe.

The George Mason offensive attack was relentless from the start, picking up where it left off on Tuesday against Hofstra and getting on the board 5:02 into the match when CAA All-Rookie forward Axel Levry scored his third goal of the season to give the Patriots an early 1-0 lead. Senior forward Lucas Pardew dribbled down the right sideline before crossing the ball in front of the goal, where it ricocheted off Tribe sophomore goalkeeper Andrew McAdams to Levry, who blasted the ball into the back of the net.

In the 27th minute, Mason tacked on another score when the Patriots gained possession of the ball in the defensive end of the field. Freshman midfielder Eber Martinez took the ball up the middle before rearing back and taking a laser shot from 25 yards out that found its way into the upper left corner of the net. The score was the first of Eber Martinez's career at George Mason.

The Patriots scored two more goals in the first half to take a commanding 4-0 lead just 37:16 into the match. On both goals, Eber Martinez found Adjeman-Pamboe, a First-Team All-CAA selection, open for the goal. With 4:31 remaining in the first half, William and Mary finally got on the board, when sophomore midfielder Nathaniel Baako converted a pass from Hoxie into the Tribe's first goal.

After the intermission, George Mason pushed its lead back to four, taking a 5-1 advantage when Second-Team All-CAA selection Richard Edgar scored his second goal of the season. Sophomore forward Irvin Martinez was credited with an assist on the goal after sending a free kick in Edgar's direction.

The Tribe rallied back within 5-3 as Hoxie converted two penalty kicks in a span of 2:43, but William and Mary was unable to get any closer.

Mason finished with a 21-13 shot advantage. McAdams made five saves in net for W&M, while Mason junior goalkeeper Sean Kelley stopped three shots in wet conditions.