AMHERST, Mass. – The George Mason women's soccer team played to a 1-1 draw through two overtime periods at Massachusetts to open Atlantic 10 Conference play on Friday. Liz Hodges scored her first goal of the season in the 34^th minute to give Mason the 1-0 advantage and the Patriots moved to 2-7-1 overall on the season and 0-0-1 in league play.

Despite UMass holding the shots advantage through the first 45 minutes, 5-3, it was Mason that was able to convert its lone shot on goal to carry a 1-0 lead into halftime. Laura Glew drew her first and only save of the half in the 12^th minute on a Daniela Alvarez header to keep the game scoreless. Mason converted just its second shot in the game as Hodges chipped the ball over goalkeeper Cassidy Babin from the right side of the box off a double-assist from Brenna Connell and Megan Benitez. The Patriots closed out the half with Anna Ludwick seeking an insurance goal, but the shot went wide right.

Mason's defense early in the second half kept the Minutewomen off the scoreboard as the Patriots blocked two attempts in the 47^th minute from the home squad. But UMass broke through just three minutes later as Jackie Bruno scored the equalizer off a flick from Megan Burke in the 50^th minute. Mason looked to respond firing off a pair of shots, including a shot on goal from Liz Agiato, in a two-minute span, but couldn't find the back of the net as both teams saw solid opportunities in the second half, recording a combined 14 shots, four on goal. Glew came up with a huge save late in the period, stopping an Alvarez shot in the 84^th minute before Sarah Hardison forced Babin into a save at the 89:33 mark, forcing overtime.

It was a back-and-forth affair in the first overtime as both goalkeepers came up with stops in the first four minutes, Glew with two. Once again, Hardison looked for the game-winner in the final minute, but the Patriot's shot was off the mark, going wide right. UMass took a pair of corner kicks in the second overtime, proving to be unproductive as the teams closed out the 1-1 draw.

“I am proud of the ladies as we played very well in an incredibly challenging venue with a very difficult pitch and an aggressive style of play that was difficult to adjust to,” commented head coach Diane Drake. “I am pleased with how we found a way to compete and any time you go on the road in conference and snag a point, it's a success.”