WILMINGTON, N.C. – Sophomore Nia Elbeck scored the game-winner with 26 seconds remaining in double overtime, lifting the Patriots to a 2-1 victory over UNC Wilmington on Friday at the UNCW Soccer Stadium.

Elbeck gave Mason (6-3-0) the win when she scored on a header from six yards out off of a crossing pass by junior Erin Mitchell.  Elbeck, who scored two goals in 15 games last season, is tied for the second-most goals on the team this season with three.

“Our momentum was going and we were doing well going into overtime,” Elbeck said.  “We knew we were going to be the team to put it in the back of the net.  It came down to the wire and I saw the cross coming and knew I had to put something on goal.”

With the Patriots trailing 1-0 late in regulation, Mitchell sent the game to overtime when she scored from a sharp angle on a rebound off of a shot by junior Kaila Williams to tie the game 1-1.  The goal in the 89th minute found the back of the net with only 23 seconds left in regulation. 

Mitchell has scored a goal in each of the last two games and Williams has an assist in each of the last two contests.

The Patriots showed a never-quit attitude against a UNCW team that has been ranked first in the NSCAA Mid-Atlantic Region rankings for the last four weeks.

“That's something that we have been trying to make one of our qualities that we have in our program,” Mason head coach Todd Bramble said.  “That certainly was on display tonight.”

After a scoreless first half, UNCW (5-2-1) jumped out to a 1-0 lead early in the second half.  Junior Savannah Andrews notched her first collegiate goal in the 48th minute, scoring off a free kick from 35 yards out.

Mason went 2-1-2 in games decided in overtime during the 2015 campaign, with four of those games going to double overtime. 

Senior goalkeeper Kirsten Glad (6-3-0) was steady throughout the night for the Patriots, finishing with six saves in the game.  Glad made three saves in the first half, two in the second half and one in the second overtime.  Her best stop of the night was in the second overtime when she turned away the Seahawks on a break from 10 yards out.

“Glad made some good saves and showed mental toughness tonight after allowing that goal,” Bramble said.  “She made sure that she wasn't going to give up another goal and that was exactly what we needed from her.”

UNCW attempted three shots in the first half, all on goal.  Mason attempted four shots, but the Patriots were held without a shot on goal in a half for just the second time this season.  The Patriots failed to record a shot on goal in the second half of play in a 2-0 loss at then-No. 3 Virginia on Aug. 21.

The Seahawks were outshot in a game for the first time this season.  Mason outshot UNCW 13-8, while the Seahawks had the edge in shots on goal 7-4.  The Patriots improved to 15-9-1 in the all-time series.

Mason has won back-to-back road games for the first time since defeating American 3-0 on Aug. 23 and claiming a 3-2 win at UMBC Aug. 28 last season.

“That's something that we are feeling good about right now,” said Bramble.  “It's hard to win on the road and Wilmington is hard to play against.  This is a tough place to win a game and our players showed a lot of mental and emotional toughness tonight.” 

The Patriots begin Atlantic 10 Conference play on Sept. 29 at 7 p.m. when they host St. Bonaventure at George Mason Stadium.