KINSGTON, R.I. – For the second straight Atlantic 10 Conference game, the George Mason women's soccer team played through two overtime periods and picked up a point on the road, playing to a 1-1 draw at Rhode Island on Sunday. Sydney Mitchell scored her first goal of the season and the equalizer in the 80th minute.
“This afternoon we owned every statistical category in the match today, except getting the second goal,” noted head coach Diane Drake. “We are attacking the goal with a fury now and this is a good statement of our energy and willfulness. We are excited to be coming home to play the next three matches and we will regenerate and come back stronger.”
Mason bested Rhode Island statistically, outshooting the Rams 18-14, including a 9-7 shots on goal advantage and 5-3 leverage in corner kicks. Laura Glew collected six saves, including four in the second half, playing the full 90 minutes, while the Patriots forced Rhode Island goalkeeper Katie Nickles into eight saves in the contest. Neither team recorded a shot on frame in overtime as the A-10 foes fought through two overtime periods for the draw.
URI wasted no time attacking early, getting on the board with a Nicole Brennan goal in the fourth minute. Katrin Gylfadottir made the feed to Brennan who finished the play from 20 yards out on the left side. Mason quickly looked for the equalizer in the first half, but Nickles came up strong for the Rams, collecting four saves from the Patriots to carry a 1-0 lead into the break.
After a pair of Glew saves in the second half, Liz Hodges tried to find the back of the net in the 63rd minute, but Nickles was in position for the save to keep the slate clean. As Glew collected another pair of saves on two Dariann Selletti attempts within a minute, Emma Starr placed a shot on goal in the 70th minute, but was unable to even the score. Mason broke through in the 80th minute as Mitchell received a Liz Agiato feed and punched it to the far post to tie up the contest at 1-1. With less than two minutes left in regulation, Sarah Hardison looked for the game-winner, but Nickles came up with the save to force overtime.
URI controlled the majority of possession in the overtime frames as Samantha Leyh's attempt in the 103rd minute hit the crossbar. The Patriots blocked a Chelsea Gates attempt a minute later as the teams closed out the draw, 1-1.
After a month on the road, Mason returns to Fairfax to begin a three-game homestand on Friday, October 10 welcoming Saint Louis at 7 p.m.
