Oct. 25, 2009

Box Score

Fighting for their postseason life, the George Mason women's soccer team traveled to Old Dominion on Sunday afternoon knowing a loss would greatly injure their chances of making the four-team Colonial Athletic Association Tournament. The Patriots (13-4-2, 5-3-2) wasted no time scoring and they made that one goal count as they beat the Monarchs (7-7-5, 4-4-2), 1-0.

The win, coupled with James Madison's tie at Hofstra, moved Mason into a tie with the Dukes for fourth place in the CAA with one game remaining.

For the fourth time in the past nine games, the Patriots scored in the first 10 minutes. Tiana Kallenberger slipped through the Monarchs' defense, took a pass from Sasha Vido, touched around the goalkeeper, and put the ball into the open net.

"We used experience and game management against a very difficult 4-2-4 system," said Mason head coach Diane Drake. "We are peaking right now and have a 'refuse-to-lose' mentality. Tiana gets a fifth game-winning goal and we get our tenth shutout on the year. I am so proud of this team."

That was all the offense Mason needed as the Patriots got four saves from Katie Frey. Mason, meanwhile, put 10 shots on goal but it was just Kallenberger's first that went in for the game-winner.

The Patriots will play their final regular-season match of the season on Saturday, when they host Towson at 4 p.m. It will be Senior Day for Mason's nine seniors.