Men's Soccer | 9/30/2017 11:24:00 PM

Box Score

FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason men's soccer team couldn't hold on for a big win but did salvage a point to begin Atlantic 10 Conference play.

The Patriots battled to a 1-1 double overtime tie against defending A-10 Tournament champ Fordham in the league opener for both teams on Saturday night at George Mason Stadium. The Rams scored in the 84th minute to force overtime, where neither team scored to settle for a tie and a point apiece.

Mason (5-2-2, 0-0-1 A-10) almost scored the game winner with less than two minutes left. Redshirt junior Graydon Hester's shot from 20 yards out bounced off the crossbar and back into the field of play. Sophomore Raheem Lawal grabbed the rebound and deposited the ball in the net but the goal was waved off for offside.

Minutes before that, in the 84 th minute, Fordham (6-2-2, 0-0-1) found the equalizer. Jacob Bohm sent a cross from the right side to the far left corner. Jannik Loebe fired off a shot that was saved by Mason goalkeeper Tomas Lapnas. But Loebe pounced on the rebound and buried the second chance into the net. It marked the fifth time this season the Patriots had allowed the game-tying or game-winning goal in the final 10 minutes.

The Patriots took a 1-0 lead in the 37 th minute on senior captain Henning Dirks' league-leading eighth goal of the season. Fellow senior captain David Galdo forced a turnover by Fordham and then laid off a pass to Dirks. The German forward lofted a shot from 20 yards out that dropped in behind Fordham goalkeeper Rashid Nuhu.

That was only the sixth goal Fordham had allowed this season. The Rams, who were picked to repeat as A-10 champions in the preseason coaches poll, ranked in the top 10 in the country in goals against average. Mason only fired off one shot on goal – Dirks' goal – and eight shots total.

Fordham recorded 15 shots but just five on goal. Lapnas made four saves for the second straight game.

The Patriots will look to extend their three-game unbeaten streak and try to pick up their first league win at Revolutionary Rival George Washington at 2 p.m. on Wednesday.