AMHERST, Mass. – George Mason sophomore Emily Littell scored with just over three minutes left in double-overtime, lifting the Patriots to a 2-1 win over UMass on Thursday at Rudd Field.

Littell netted her first collegiate goal from 15 yards out through heavy traffic in the 107th minute of play.  Nine different players have now scored at least one goal for the Patriots over the first 12 games of the season.  Littell is the sixth different player to tally a game-winning goal.

“Her name doesn't appear in the boxscore very often, but she might be our most important player as the glue for our team in the center of the field,” Mason head coach Todd Bramble said.  “There's not a more deserving player on our team to have scored a goal in such dramatic fashion.”

Mason (9-3-0, 3-0-0 A-10) has won five straight games, outscoring opponents by a combined score of 12-5.  Each of the last four wins has been by a single goal.  It's the first five-game winning streak for the Patriots since 2009, when they won the final five games of the season.

UMass (2-7-1, 0-3-0 A-10) suffered its fourth straight loss.  Senior Daniela Alvarez gave the Minutewomen a 1-0 lead in the 52nd minute when she scored off a free kick from 40 yards out after a Mason foul.

Senior Alex Myers scored the equalizer 17 minutes later off a free kick in the 69th minute to tie the game 1-1.  Myers is second on the team with four goals.  She has scored three goals and added three assists during the Patriots' five-game winning streak.

Mason improved to 2-0-0 this season in games decided past regulation.  In both games, the Patriots trailed late in the second half before sending the game into overtime.  Mason also earned a 2-1 double-overtime win at UNCW on Sept. 16.

“It was a gritty performance and in general our team is happy to be leaving here with a win,” Bramble said.  “What I liked best about the way we left the field tonight was that the players are still looking past just the results and trying to get better as a team even though we have managed to string some wins together.”

It's the third straight season that Mason and UMass have needed overtime.  The teams played to a 1-1 draw in 2014 and the Patriots defeated the Minutewomen 2-1 in overtime last season at George Mason Stadium.

The Patriots outshot the Minutewomen 9-2 in a scoreless first half and 21-11 for the game.  Mason held a 10-3 edge in shots on goal.  The Patriots had 13 corner kicks in the game while UMass had three.

Mason has won three straight road games in the regular season for the first time since 1997.  The Patriots improved to 3-1-0 away from home. 

“Knowing that we don't have to play our best soccer to win a game gives us confidence coming out of tonight,” Bramble said of the comeback.  “Finding a way to win was a team effort with the amount of players that appeared in the game and made contributions at different positions.”

The Patriots are back in action on Sunday with a 1 p.m. kickoff at Saint Louis.