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SAINT LOUIS - George Mason's late season run came to an end in the Atlantic 10 Men's Soccer Championship Game.

Rhode Island scored an early goal off a penalty kick and the Patriots played from behind the rest of the way in a 2-0 loss on Sunday at Hermann Stadium. The Rams (15-4) clinched the title with a second goal in the 86th minute to snap Mason's four-game winning streak.

Patriots' goalkeeper Clark Gronek and midfielders Grant Robinson and Pablo Pertusa were named to the Atlantic 10 All-Championship Team.

The Patriots (9-8) hadn't lost since Oct. 20, which was also the last time they had surrendered a goal. Riding four straight victories and four consecutive shutouts, Mason reached the A-10 title game for the first time since 2013.

"In a championship game, to go down 1-0 on a penalty kick is tough but the guys fought," head coach Greg Andrulis said. "We had a very good second half until the second goal. We were pushing and trying and some guys came in off the bench and gave really solid performances."

The Patriots got behind early, though, allowing a goal for the first time in more than 464 minutes - their longest such streak in four years. URI, which lost to Mason 10 days ago on Halloween night in the regular-season finale in Fairfax, drew a foul in the penalty box just 15 minutes in. 

Rhode Island leading scorer Dominik Richter buried a shot to the right side of the goal, just out of the reach of Gronek. Richter (nine goals, 23 points) played just 25 minutes when the teams met on Oct. 31. He received a red card and the Rams played the last 65 minutes a man down.

The Patriots nearly tied up the game late in the first half, but junior captain Ryan Mingachos' shot from five yards away clanged off the crossbar. Mason had chances to record the equalizer, firing off 17 shots, compared to Rhode Island's 13.

In the second half, the Patriots ripped off 12 shots. But goalkeeper Roger Penske was up to the challenge, with five of six saves coming after halftime.

The Rams, who entered with an RPI of 23 and were nationally ranked earlier in the season, put the game away with less than five minutes left. Emil Jesman Sunde buried a shot into the bottom right corner off a pass in the box.

Gronek was outstanding for the Patriots again, making six saves. He kept it a one-goal lead on several occasions, perhaps none bigger than his one-handed smack of a shot with one second left in the first half. The senior from Shaker Heights, Ohio, finished his career with seven shutouts – all coming this season. Though a four-year member of the team, he had not played in a college game until this season. He started the last 15 games, posting a 9-6 record and allowed just one goal in the field (not penalty kicks) in his last five games.

Mingachos led the way with five shots and sophomore Colin Brezniak added four, including two on goal. Robinson, who score the game-winner in double overtime in the semifinals against Dayton, had two shots but played just 60 minutes due to a nagging injury. The Patriots were also without starting midfielder Daniel Damiani due to a hamstring injury sustained in the semifinals against Dayton.

The Patriots were a team that surprised many after being picked to finish ninth in the preseason coaches poll. After back-to-back winless conference seasons and just four A-10 wins in the last three years, Mason posted a 5-3 mark in league play to tie Rhode Island for third place. They started the season 0-2 and hadn't won consecutive games until the regular-season finale.

They then rattled off four straight shutout victories. The first, a 1-0 victory over Davidson on Oct. 27, earned them a spot in the conference tournament for the first time in four years. The second, a 2-0 victory over Rhode Island, assured them the No. 3 seed and a tie for third place – their best finish since 2014.

In the A-10 quarterfinals, they defeated Saint Louis 1-0 at home thanks to Pertusa's header off Brezniak's corner kick in the 108th minute to send the Patriots to St. Louis for the semifinals. There, Mason battled into double overtime for the second straight game – and third time this season. Robinson ended the stalemate with a blast from 23 yards away off a corner kick from junior Tunde Akinlosotu less than two minutes into the second overtime with snow coming down.

The goal put the Patriots into the championship game for the first time since its inaugural season in the league in 2013. It also clinched Mason's first winning season in four years. The Patriots hope to build off the momentum gained at the end of the season. They say farewell to seven seniors, including three starters (Gronek, captain Jordan Edwards and Tolu Ibikunle), but are expected to return eight starters, all five of their top scorers and 96 percent of their scoring.

"We're very proud of the guys. Very proud of how they've worked," Andrulis said. "They're determination, getting the program back in the championship game is important for them. The seniors can leave very, very proud of their accomplishment. The juniors are now hungry for next year. We'll just work on now getting everybody healthy and finishing this semester strong academically."