FAIRFAX, Va. - Junior Tiana Kallenberger scored the game-winning goal in the 88th minute to send the George Mason women's soccer team past Hofstra, 1-0, Sunday afternoon at George Mason Stadium. With the Colonial Athletic Association win, Mason improved to 5-5-4 overall and 2-2-2 in league play, while the Pride dropped to 6-6, 2-4.
Both goalkeepers recorded one save as Mason held a 10-6 shot advantage, including a 2-1 shots on goal edge, in the contest. Kallenberger and Liz Hodges paced the Patriots with three shots and a shot on goal apiece, while Courtney Breen led the Pride with two shots. Lydnse Hokanson earned the start and picked up one save before Alex Bodenschatz finished the game, playing the final eight minutes. For Hofstra, Emily Morphitis played the full 90 minutes in net and recorded one save.
It was a back-and-forth affair in the opening 45 minutes as opportunistic chances for each team were cleared away. Mason saw its best scoring chance come in the 26th minute when Hodges forced Morphitis into the only save of the stanza on an attempt from 15 yards out on the near side. The Pride put together a solid opportunity in the 35th minute as Sam Scolarici dropped a pass out to Breen on the near side, but Breen headed a shot just wide, keeping the scoreboard clear. Three minutes later, Hofstra's Laura Greene found Lulu Echeverry on the right corner. Echeverry tried to finish the play, but the freshman's shot sailed high.
With less than a minute to play in the half, Mason produced its final threat. Carrying the ball down the near side, Alyssa Andersen sent a cross to Kelly Pizzingrilli on the far corner of the goal. Pizzingrilli attempted a shot from 12-yards out that hit the post to close the half.
To open the second half, Kerry Cummings played a through ball to the outside, finding the foot of Greene in the 59th minute. Hokanson blocked out Greene's attempt on the far corner for her only save of the contest.
Mason cleared away a Hofstra scare in the 79th minute when Scolarici's shot from a Brittany Butts pass was blocked out by a set of defenders. The Pride saw another opportunity three minutes later off an Erin Havard free kick. Breen found the free kick and attempted to complete the play, but Hofstra was called for an offside.
Mason broke through in the 88th minute on Kallenberger's team-leading fifth goal of the season. From the middle, Jazmin Cardoso blasted out a pass to Pizzingrilli on the near side. Pizzingrilli gained control of the pass and sent a cross back to Kallenberger in the middle of the box. From seven yards out, Kallenberger made a slide to connect the pass and found the back of the net for the game-winner at the 87:28 mark.
Mason makes its final road trip of the regular season traveling to UNC Wilmington on Friday, October 14 for a 7 p.m. matchup. The Patriots conclude the swing visiting Georgia State at noon on Sunday.
