Feb. 6, 2009

FAIRFAX, Va. - The George Mason men's soccer team finished the 2008 season nationally-ranked in a pair of season-ending polls. After capturing the CAA Championship and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship, the Patriots wrapped up the season ranked 19th by Soccer America and 24th by College Soccer News.

The Patriots wrapped up the season with a 14-7-2 record, the most wins for the team since the 1996 season. Mason advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a 1-0 shutout of Ivy League Champion Penn on Nov. 21 at George Mason Stadium. The Patriots lost to the eventual national champion, the Maryland Terrapins, in the second round of the tournament.

With a 1-0 victory over Northeastern in the CAA Championship game on Nov. 16, Mason captured its fifth conference title in the history of the program and the first since the conference adopted the tournament format beginning with the 1990 season. Mason had to win two matches to advance to the CAA Championship. In the first round, the Patriots shut out Hofstra 5-0 to advance to the semifinals. In the semifinals, Mason opened up a 4-0 lead on William and Mary on its way to a 5-3 victory. The Patriots outscored opponents 11-3 on their way to claiming the CAA title.