Nov. 5, 2010

Box Score

Hempstead, N.Y. - The George Mason women's soccer team extended its season as far as it could, and then it extended it some more on Friday evening. In the end, though, the Patriots saw their season come to a close as James Madison advanced past the Patriots on penalty kicks in the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament semifinals. The Patriots and Dukes tied at 1-1 and after two overtimes and seven penalty kicks by each team, James Madison advanced due to a 6-5 edge in PKs.

Third-seeded Mason scored the game's first goal, going ahead in the 24th minute when Tiana Kallenberger played a deep ball over the top to Omolyn Davis who got to the ball, shielded a defender and waited for keeper Diane Wszalek to commit before scoring for a 1-0 lead. It stayed 1-0 until the 68th minute when Teresa Rynier played a corner short to Katie Menzie who crossed to the far post where Becky Sparks headed the ball in to tie the score at 1-1. Each team had additional chances down the stretch and in overtime but neither team could finish. Alex Bodenschatz finished the match with five saves on six chances.

With the match tied in an elimination match, Mason was asked to go to PKs for the first time since the 2003 CAA semifinals when they lost to VCU. The second-seeded Dukes went first in the shootout and Teresa Rynier scored to put the Dukes ahead 1-0. Davis made it 1-1 and then Lyndse Hokanson, who was in net for Mason in the shootout stopped Yollie Anderson-Golhor's shot. Capricia Alston followed to put the Patriots ahead 2-1. Katie Menzie scored for the Dukes before Abby Zielinski had her shot stopped by Wszalek, who was first-team All-CAA this year.

With it tied at 2-2 after three attempts, each team matched the other. Kelly Germain scored for JMU and Zoe Doherty matched her. Next up for the Dukes was Corinna Strickland and after she scored, Kelly Thomas followed, putting one in off of Wszalek's hands. Megan Fessler was the sixth Duke and she was followed by Kimmy Moss. Jessica Barndt made it 6-5 and that set the stage for Janice Johnson whose shot hit the crossbar and bounced out, ending the contest.

The Patriots (11-7-2) were playing in the CAA Tournament semifinals for the first time since 2003, when VCU eliminated the Patriots 4-3 on PKs. James Madison (13-6-1) had won six straight heading into the match and will advance to the conference championship match for the second-straight season.

Davis and Thomas were both named to the CAA All-Tournament Team.