MEN'S SOCCER vs. James Madison
WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 27, 2021 | 2 p.m.
WHERE: Fairfax, Va. | George Mason Stadium
RECORDS: Mason (0-0-0, 0-0-0 A-10); James Madison (0-0-1, 0-0-0 CAA)
SERIES RECORD: James Madison leads 17-18-5
LAST MEETING:  The Dukes defeated the Patriots, 2-1, on Oct. 20, 2012 at George Mason Stadium in the last meeting between the two clubs in the regular season.
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FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason men's soccer team plays the opener of the 2021 season on Saturday, hosting James Madison with the opening kick scheduled for 2 p.m. at George Mason Stadium.
 
The Patriots last faced the Dukes in an exhibition match on Aug. 18, 2019 at George Mason Stadium.  James Madison scored a pair of goals in the first half and one in the second half to record a 3-0 win over Mason.
 
This season, the Patriots have nine regular-season matches on the schedule, including five at home.
 
The Patriots have six returners on the roster and 19 newcomers, with 13 freshmen, heading into the first season under head coach Elmar Bolowich.
 
Mason added junior midfielder Nicolas Anguil-Andriacchi and defender Jakob Rylander.  The sophomore class includes defenders Emilio Pope and Jonathan Fawole, along with forwards Nicolas Alt and Kent Harrison.
 
The newcomers include freshmen forwards Sean Barwick and Peter Kim, and midfielders Daniel Chica, Ishmail Kamara, Louis Lehr, Kenta Masuda, Evan Pedraza, Christopher Schray and Henry Wachsman.
 
Rookie defenders James Cornwell and Noah McGrath will join the back line in front of freshman goalkeepers Sunni Dhaliwal and Jackson Lee.
 
Returning for the Patriots are senior defenders Vandyke Gyau, Matt Scoliere and Mads Tranberg, junior goalkeeper Andreas Varlas Tsaousis and defender Michael Diehl, and sophomore midfielder Léon Reilhac.
 
After their game against the Dukes, the Patriots will play six games in March, with three home and three away matches beginning with a road test at Virginia (March 2).  The Cavaliers (21-3-1 in 2019) advanced to the championship game before falling in the 2019 College Cup Championship to Georgetown.
 
The six-game Atlantic 10 schedule includes two matches against Davidson, George Washington and VCU.  The Patriots host George Washington (March 17), Davidson (March 27) and VCU (April 10).

George Mason will travel to face Davidson (March 13), VCU (March 20) and George Washington (April 3) in conference play.

The top four teams in the conference standings advance to the A-10 Semifinals on April 15.  The A-10 Championship match is scheduled for April 17. 

The Patriots finished the 2019 campaign with a 4-12-2 overall record and posted a 3-5-0 mark against A-10 opponents.  The Patriots were 3-4-1 at home and 1-8-0 on the road in 2019.
 
Mason qualified for the 2019 Atlantic 10 Championship, but fell to VCU, 4-3 in penalty kicks, in the quarterfinals.
 
SCOUTING JAMES MADISON
 
The Dukes finished the 2019 season with a 11-7-3 overall record, including a mark of 5-2-1 against CAA opponents.  James Madison went 6-3-1 at home and 5-4-2 on the road.
 
In the 2019 CAA Tournament, the Dukes defeated third-seeded Hofstra, 4-3 in penalty kicks, and blanked top-seeded UNCW, 1-0, in double-overtime to claim their second consecutive CAA title.
 
James Madison began the 2021 campaign last Sunday, playing to a 0-0 double-overtime draw against Liberty at Sentara Park in Harrisonburg, Va.
 
Sophomore midfielder Rodrigo Robles led the Dukes with three shots and one on goal, while redshirt-senior goalkeeper T.J. Bush made six save in the match.   
 
CORNER KICK
 
The Patriots and Dukes were rivals in the Colonial Athletic Association for 35 years before Mason joined the Atlantic 10 in 2013.
 
Six of the last seven meetings in the regular season between the Patriots and Dukes have been decided by one goal or less.  Mason last faced James Madison in a regular season match in 2012, with the Dukes recording a 2-1 victory at George Mason Stadium. 
 
Wesley Sever tallied Mason's lone goal of the match 34 seconds into the second half to put the Patriots in front 1-0 before the Dukes scored the final two goals of the game.