FAIRFAX, Va. – Despite a season-high point total for the George Mason lacrosse team, the Patriots fell to Elon, 14-13 in the first-ever matchup between the two programs.
 
The Patriots (0-4) were led by a season-high four goals from senior Shannon Tuozzo, who also matched her season-high in draw controls with three.
 
The Phoenix (2-2) got off to a fast start, jumping out to a 3-0 lead just over five and half minutes into the quarter. Senior Chloe Reed scored her first and the team's first goal of the evening at the 8:46 mark, but Elon rattled off another three-goal streak to hold a 6-1 lead after the first.
 
After Elon scored just 34 seconds into the second, the Mason defense locked down, holding it scoreless for the rest of the quarter. The Patriots scored back-to-back goals in the span of 50 seconds to find some momentum, and junior Melanie Hutchinson scored an unassisted goal to cut the lead back to three at the halfway point.
 
Elon once again tallied the opening goal of the quarter to lead 8-4, but the Patriots went on another three-goal run, highlighted by freshman Peyton Farley's first collegiate goal to cut the lead to one and force an Elon timeout. 
 
The teams traded goals until Mason scored four-straight goals from four different players spanning six minutes to end the third and start the fourth to take their first lead of the game, 12-10, with 11:55 to go in the game.
 
Freshman Kaitlyn Bestick scored for the fourth straight game to push the lead back to two with just under 10 minutes left in the game, but the Phoenix were able to tie the game with six minutes on the clock. Both teams had multiple opportunities down the stretch, but Elon connected with 50 seconds left and won the ensuing draw control to hold off the Patriots.
 
PATRIOT POINTS

• Mason won more draw controls (18-13), led by a game and career-high eight from sophomore Lauren Distad. She also scored a goal and notched a ground ball for Mason
• Hutchinson dished out three assists on the night to go along with two goals for five points, all career-high marks
• Reed (3) and Farley (2) joined Hutchinson and Tuozzo as multi-goal performers on the night for the Patriots
• Senior Meghan Deehan made eight saves in 60 minutes of action to go along with two ground balls and a caused turnover

 
UP NEXT
Mason will have six days to rest before returning to George Mason Stadium to host Campbell on Wednesday, March 1 at 4 p.m.