FAIRFAX, Va. - Senior Nicole Peters scored in the 87th minute,
but the George Mason women's soccer team's rally fell short as the Patriots
dropped a 2-1 decision to Drexel on Sunday afternoon at George Mason Stadium.
Mason (7-6-5, 4-3-3 CAA) allowed two first-half goals to the Dragons (6-8-4,
4-4-2) but kept the visitors off the scoreboard in the final 45 minutes, in
both teams' penultimate game of the regular season.
Peters found the back of the net off a corner kick by
redshirt sophomore Jazmin Cardoso, who placed the attempt to the far post where
Peters won the battle in the air and headed it inside the left part of the net
for her first goal of both the season and the defender's four-year career with
the Green and Gold. For Cardoso, it was her third assist on the year.
Drexel opened the scoring in the 15th minute when
Jenna Lindsay's shot from 14 yards away by the left post escaped the reach of
Mason sophomore keeper Lyndse Hokanson. She was assisted on the play by Megan
Hammaker, who collected her second assist of the season when she delivered a
through ball to set up the score.
The eventual game-winner came in the 36th minute,
when Jess Lowinger dribbled down the left side and fired a high cross to the
far post. Jess Sarkisian was there to receive the pass and in stride, fired on
frame. Hokanson got a piece of the ball but on the deflection, it made its way
through the goal to the upper right corner, Sarkisian's first goal of the year.
Before Peters got the Patriots on the board, senior Zoe
Doherty nearly posted the first Mason goal in the 81st minute. Cardoso
delivered a through ball to the right side to Doherty, who sprinted and fired
from eight yards out where Drexel keeper Eve Badana made the save. Doherty followed
her shot and got off a rebound attempt, but her shot sailed high over the
crossbar.
Drexel held a 9-to-6 advantage in shots on goal, as Hokanson
tallied seven saves in net compared to five for Badana.
With 15 points in conference play on the year, the Patriots
currently sit tied for fifth in the CAA standings with one match remaining.
That will come on Saturday at 5 p.m. against Towson, where the Patriots will
recognize their seniors prior to the opening kick. The match is part of a
men's/women's doubleheader, with the Patriot men scheduled to face Georgia
State at 3 p.m.
