Fairfax, Va. – After an even 1-1 score at halftime, the George Mason men's soccer team exploded for four goals on 17 shots in the second half to defeat Howard 5-1 in the season-opening game at George Mason Stadium.

MATCH NOTES
-Junior Daniel Hoffmann wasted no time scoring, putting Mason ahead 1-0 in the third minute  after a short corner play and a shot from less than 10 yards out. He ended with three shots in the contest.
-Howard buried the equalizer in the 36th minute after an initial shot bounced off of Steffen Kraus' gloves near the left corner of the net, leaving an opportunity for Kyle Celestine to finish for his first goal of the season.  
-Mason outshot Howard 6-4 in the first half before a commanding 17-4 advantage in the second half for a total of 23 for the match. The Patriots landed 11 shots on goal.
-Cullen Hunter put in the game winner in the 51st minute after a throw-in from Brice Colcombe landed in a scramble in front of the net and deflected off of Hunter. 
-Edgar Zepeda scored his first two collegiate goals; one a finish inside the box after passes from Stephen Durbin and Kyle Ryan, the other a penalty kick conversion with five minutes remaining in the match.
- Jannik Eckenrode tallied the other goal for the Patriots, converting a left-to-right cross pass in front of the net from Durbin.
-Six freshmen played their first official collegiate minutes in the match – Gilian Buijk, Shadi Atassi, Jordan Edwards, Ramon Evans, Kyle Ryan and Durbin. Goalkeeper Michael Butts also played the final 11:22 in goal.

STAT BREAKDOWN
-After a 6-4 shot advantage in the first half, the offense clicked for four goals on 17 shots in the second period for a 23-8 match advantage.
-Mason's five goals are the most in a match since its seven goals against Howard in last season's season-opener.
-Eckenrode had a game-high six shots, three on goal. Zach Herstek and Hoffmann also recorded three while Celestine had a team-high two for the Bison.
-Corner kicks favored the Patriots, 10-4 while Howard made six saves compared to Mason's one.

NEXT ON THE PITCH
-The Kuykenstrong D.C. College Cup continues on Sunday, August 30 for Mason at 7:30 p.m. when it plays American University, which defeated George Washington 2-1 in the first of Friday's games.