FAIRFAX, Va. – On Senior Night, a Bonnies own goal and a pair of Patriot goals from freshmen Kiyomi McCausland and Molly Starner gave the George Mason women's soccer team (3-15, 3-7 A-10) their second straight victory, as they defeated St. Bonaventure (3-7-6, 2-5-2 A-10) by the score of 3-1 on Thursday night at George Mason Stadium. Mason finishes the season on a two-game winning streak and a final Atlantic 10 point total of nine.

HOW THEY SCORED
GEORGE MASON
40' | Own goal by St. Bonaventure defender Sydney Hayward, off a deflected shot by Michi Hooks
74' | Kiyomi McCausland (1), assisted by Rachel Eberly (2)
88' | Molly Starner (2), assisted by Sophie Davidson (1)

ST. BONAVENTURE
72' | Ava Myers (1), assisted by Olivia Allen (5)

For the second straight game, the Patriots out-shot their opponents, as eight of their 16 shots were on goal. Mason's defense stepped up as well; the Bonnies only took eight total shots, with only one of those shots requiring a save between the two Mason goalkeepers who played tonight.

In the first half, St. Bonaventure had the majority of the control. However, their time of possession advantage did not translate to any offensive chances, as the Bonnies recorded only two shots with none on goal. The Patriots, on the other hand, had four shots with two on goal in the first half.

Mason was able to get on the board first just before the end of the half. In the 40^th minute, midfielder Rachel Eberly passed the ball to forward Michi Hooks on the right wing, who dribbled her way into the penalty box. Hooks took a shot on goal, but was blocked by defending Bonnie Sydney Hayward. The block, however, took a Patriot deflection, as the ball, which was initially aimed for the far post, was redirected to the near post, and St Bonaventure's goalkeeper, Chiara Gottinger, was caught out of position.

The ball rolled over the goal line and was ruled as a St. Bonaventure own goal. The Patriots went into halftime with a 1-0 lead.

St. Bonaventure upped the pressure to begin the second half, as they were trying to find the equalizing goal. It would not be until the 72^nd minute for the Bonnies to level the game with an Ava Myers goal. Myers, who had just been subbed into the game moments earlier, created a give-and-go run with her team's assists leader, Olivia Allen, in front of Mason's penalty box. Allen threaded her pass behind the Patriot defense, where Myers took a right-footed one-timer to the back post which caught second half goalie Selamawit Caldart flat-footed.

The lead would not last long, as Kiyomi McCausland would score her first career goal for the Patriots just 124 seconds later.

Rachel Eberly passed the ball from midfield to the left wing, where McCausland settled the pass inside the penalty box. The Canadian first year cut to her right with a few dribbles and took a right-footed low shot that skipped by the diving Bonnie goalkeeper. Eberly also recorded her first assist of the season as well.

Momentum shifted back to the Patriots after that goal, and the Bonnies were trying to fight the tide to find a late goal. Instead, the Patriots iced the game with an 88^th minute blast from freshman Molly Starner, who ripped a right-footed one-timer from 12 yards out thanks to a Sophie Davidson pass from the right wing. Starner notched her second goal of the season while Davidson got her first career assist.

The game would end shortly after, and the Patriots officially ended the 2023 season with a two-game winning streak.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• The Patriots end the season on a win streak for the first time since the 2018 season. It also marked the second straight season in which the Patriots finished the last two games of the season unbeaten.
• The last time the Patriots won 3-1 at home was on Aug. 25, 2022, when the Patriots beat Howard.
• Freshman goalkeeper Ginny Fronk recorded 90 total saves on the season, the 13^th most by a Patriot goalkeeper in a single season. The Cranberry Township, Pa., native currently leads the conference is saves as well, with the second most being St. Bonaventure's Chiara Gottinger with 83.
• Sophomore goalkeeper Selamawit Caldart recorded her first win of the season. The Shorewood, Wisc., product also recorded one save on the night.
• Freshman Kiyomi McCausland recorded her first goal of her collegiate career in the 74^th minute.
• Freshman Molly Starner recorded a goal for the second consecutive game. The Boiling Springs, Pa., native now shares the team lead in goals with Milan Pierre-Jerome.
• Seniors Shea Carroll, Sarah Cuttler, Eman Karimi, Milan Pierre-Jerome, Ashley Shimberg and Brooke Volpi close out their playing careers at Mason with a home win.

UP NEXT
The Patriots 2023 season officially comes to an end and will now work in the offseason to prepare for the 2024 season.