MEN'S SOCCER vs. Bucknell
WHEN: Saturday, Sept. 24 | 7 p.m.
WHERE: Fairfax, Va. | George Mason Stadium
RECORDS: Mason (1-6-0); Bucknell (2-3-1)
SERIES RECORD: Bucknell leads, 1-0-0
LAST MEETING: The Bison defeated the Patriots in overtime, 1-0, on Nov. 11, 2006 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
COVERAGE: LIVE STATS | WATCH ($)

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FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason men's soccer team concludes its two-game homestand on Tuesday against Bucknell with the opening kick scheduled for 7 p.m. at George Mason Stadium.
 
The Patriots (1-6-0) fell to Gardner-Webb, 3-2, in overtime on Saturday night.  Senior midfielder Raheem Lawal tallied his first goal of the season in the 48th minute and senior midfielder Ryan Mingachos netted his third goal of the season with 17 seconds to play in regulation to force overtime.
 
Senior forward Tunde Akinlosotu assisted on both goals for the Patriots, while senior defender Gilian Buijk picked up his second career assist.
 
Sophomore goalkeeper Brison Moorhead made three saves in his Mason debut.
 
Mason and Bucknell are meeting for the first time in the regular season.  The Bison defeated the Patriots in overtime, 1-0, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Nov. 11, 2006.  The match was played in Fairfax.

SCOUTING BUCKNELL
 
The Bison finished the 2018 season with an overall record of 6-8-3, including a mark of 3-5-1 against Patriot League opponents.  Bucknell went 3-4-2 at home and 3-4-1 on the road last season.
 
Bucknell (2-3-1) played to a 1-1 draw against Colgate on Saturday in Hamilton, N.Y.  Junior midfielder Matt Thorsheim scored his third goal of the season in the 69th minute, while freshman goalkeeper Luke Smith made five saves in the match.
 
The Bison are 1-0-1 on the road this season, including a 4-1 victory over Canisius on Sept. 1 in Buffalo, N.Y.
 
Thorsheim is tied for the team lead in goals (3) and paces the Bison in points (7), while freshman forward Eddie Perez-Pelaez is tied for first on the team in goals (3) and is second in points (6).
 
The Bison have been outscored 4-2 in the first half of play, but have outscored opponents 9-4 in the second half of play over their first six matches of the season.
 
CORNER KICK
 
Mason has faced Bucknell only once in program history.  The Patriots fell to the Bison, 1-0, in overtime in the first round of the 2006 NCAA Tournament. 
 
Mason has qualified for the NCAA Tournament 11 times in program history.  The Patriots made the tournament for the first time in 1982 and after a bye in the first round, Mason defeated Virginia, 1-0, for the first-ever NCAA tournament win in program history.
 
GLIMPSE AT THE PATRIOTS
 
The Patriots return 20 letterwinners and five of their top-six scorers from last year's team that advanced to the Atlantic 10 Championship game.
 
Seniors Tunde Akinlosotu and Grant Robinson tied for the team lead in goals (5) during the 2018 season, while Akinlosotu's 15 points led the club.  Senior Ryan Mingachos tied for second on the team in goals (4), assists (4) and points (12).
 
The Patriots finished the 2018 campaign with a 9-8-0 overall record and posted a 5-3-0 mark against A-10 opponents, tying for third place in the conference during the regular season.  Mason was 6-3-0 at home, 2-4-0 on the road and 1-1 in games played at a neutral site.
 
In the A-10 quarterfinals, the Patriots defeated Saint Louis in double-overtime, 1-0.  In the semifinals at the Billiken Sports Center, Mason defeated Dayton, 1-0, in double-overtime to advance to the championship game for the first time since the 2013 season.