ATLANTIC 10 CHAMPIONSHIP
#1 George Mason vs. #8 La Salle
WHEN: Friday, November 8 | 7 p.m.
WHERE: Fairfax, Va. | George Mason Stadium
RECORDS: #1 George Mason (12-3-1, 6-1-1 A-10, 19 Pts.); #8 La Salle (6-7-4, 3-3-2 A-10, 11 Pts.)
SERIES RECORD: La Salle leads, 5-4-4
LAST MEETING: The Patriots defeated the Explorers, 2-1, this season on Oct. 5 at McCarthy Stadium in Philadelphia, Pa.
WATCH ($): ESPN+
LIVE STATS: CLICK HERE
CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL | TOURNAMENT BRACKET 
TICKET INFORMATION: 2024 A-10 Quarterfinal tickets are now available!  Tickets are $10 and are available for purchase online in advance, by calling the Athletic Ticket Office at 703-993-3270 or by purchasing at the George Mason Stadium gate.  Discounted tickets are available for groups (15+ tickets) and George Mason Faculty/Staff (up to 4).  Students should get their tickets through Mason360. PURCHASE TICKETS HERE 

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FAIRFAX, Va. – The top-seeded George Mason men's soccer team hosts eighth-seeded La Salle in the Atlantic 10 Championship Quarterfinals on Friday with the opening kick scheduled for 7 p.m. at George Mason Stadium in Fairfax, Va.
 
The eight-team, single elimination tournament begins Friday, Nov. 8 with on-campus quarterfinals.  All games will be streamed live on ESPN+.
 
George Mason won the A-10 regular season title for the first time in program history and posted six regular season victories in conference play for the first time since joining the league in 2013.
 
George Mason (12-3-1, 6-1-1 A-10) and La Salle (6-7-4, 3-3-2 A-10) will meet for the 14th time overall and for the first time in the A-10 tournament.  The Explorers lead the all-time series, 5-4-4. 

George Mason and La Salle met a month ago, with the Patriots downing the Explorers, 2-1, on Oct. 5 in Philadelphia, Pa.  Graduate student forward Marek Gonda scored two goals in the second half (49th minute PK, 83rd minute), including his third game-winner of the season, to lift the Patriots to the victory.
      
George Mason senior goalkeeper Jaume Salvado started the match but left the game in the 18th minute.  Redshirt sophomore Blake Moness made four saves to earn his first collegiate win in his NCAA debut. 
 
The Explorers outshot the Patriots, 17-13, including a 5-3 advantage in shots on goal.  La Salle finished earned 11 corner kicks while George Mason earned seven corner kicks in the match.    
George Mason finished the A-10 regular season third in both goals (33) and goals per match (2.2) and tied for the third-fewest goals allowed (17).  The Patriots won their first four matches in Atlantic 10 play for the first time since joining the conference in 2013. 

On their home pitch, the Patriots finished the regular season 7-1-0, with victories over Delaware (4-2, Aug. 30), Bucknell (1-0, Sept. 3), Howard (4-3, Sept. 7), William & Mary (1-0, Sept. 24), George Washington (5-2, Sept. 28), Loyola Chicago (2-1, Oct. 9) and St. Bonaventure (Oct. 26). 
 
On the road, George Mason went 5-2-1 with wins at Navy (2-0, Aug.22), UNCW (1-0, Sept. 10), Massachusetts (2-1, Sept. 21), La Salle (2-1, Oct. 5) and Saint Joseph's (4-1, Oct. 19).
 
George Mason, receiving votes in the latest United Soccer Coaches poll, is one of only four Division I programs to post 12 victories during the regular season (#1 Ohio State, #3 San Diego, #9 Pittsburgh). 
 
George Mason has recorded 12 wins in a season for the first time since 2013.
 
The Patriots have scored the first goal in 10 of their 16 matches this season, including the first goal of the match in the first 28 minutes of play in nine games.
 
Graduate student forward Marek Gonda leads the club in goals (8), points (19) and game winners (3) in 15 games with 13 starts.  He is second on the team in shots on goal (17) and third in shots (32).  Gonda has converted both of his penalty kick attempts.
 
Among A-10 leaders, Gonda is tied for third in both goals (8) and game-winning goals (3) and is tied for fifth in points (19).
 
Sophomore midfielder Quentin Clain is second on the team in goals (5) and points (14) and tied for second in assists (4) in 15 starts.  He paces the Patriots in shots (39) and shots on goal (19).
 
Among A-10 leaders, Clain is fifth in the league in shots on goal (19) and ranks seventh in shots (39). 
 
Sophomore midfielder James Eliuda is tied for the team lead in assists (5), tied for third in both goals (2) and points (9) and fourth in shots (27) in 16 starts.
 
Freshman forward Martim Sereno is tied for first on the team in assists (5) and is tied for third in both goals (2) and points (9) in 16 games with 15 starts.  He is second on the club in shots (36) and third in shots on goal (8).
 
Senior defender Luis Maestre is tied for first in assists (5) and tied for third in both goals (2) and points (9) in 15 games with 14 starts.
 
Maestre and Sereno are tied for the fifth-most assists in the conference (6).
 
Graduate student defender Jordi Navio Sanchez is tied for second on the team in assists (4) and tied for third in goals (2) in 16 starts.
 
Graduate student goalkeeper Jaume Salvado (10-3-1, 4-1-1 A-10) has started 15 matches with a 1.06 GAA, .700 save percentage and five clean sheets.  He has made 35 saves and allowed 15 goals against (1277 minutes) and his five shutouts are tied for third-most in the A-10.
 
Redshirt sophomore goalkeepers Blake Moness (1-0-0, 1-0-0 A-10, 4 SV, 1.23 GAA) and Jack Desroches (1-0-0, 1-0-0 A-10, 1 SV, 1.00 GAA) have each posted their first collegiate victories this season.
 
SCOUTING LA SALLE
 
No. 8 La Salle finished the regular season with a 6-7-4 overall record, including a mark of 3-3-2 in Atlantic 10 play.  The Explorers went 3-4-2 at home and 3-3-2 on the road.
 
Last time out, La Salle scored two goals in the final 10 minutes to defeat George Washington, 2-1, in the regular season finale in Washington, D.C. to earn the final spot in the Atlantic 10 Championship.  It was Las Salle's first come-from-behind victory this season.
 
The Explorers outshot George Washington, 15-10, including a 6-2 advantage in shots on goal.
 
La Salle is 4-11 all-time and has dropped its last four opening round matches in the Atlantic 10 Championship tournament, falling in the first round in 2014, 2016, 2019 and 2022.
 
In the 2022 A-10 Championship, No. 7 La Salle fell to No. 2 Duquesne, 2-1 in Pittsburgh, Pa.
 
Graduate student forward Colin Beasley leads the club in goals (8), points (34), shots (34) and shots on goal (14) in 17 games with nine starts.
 
Graduate student midfielder Nevin Baer is second on the team in goals (3) and shots on goal (11), tied for third in points (7) and fifth in shots (17) in 16 games with eight starts.
 
Graduate student midfielder Drew Blackwell paces the Explorers in assists (5) and is tied for third in points (7) in 17 games with nine starts.
 
Junior goalkeeper goalkeeper Tino Kneis (3-2-3, 751 MIN, 27 SV, 6 GA, 0.72 GAA, 4 SO) has started nine matches.  Junior goalkeeper Randy Burkhardt (3-4-1, 688 MIN, 26 SV, 10 GA, 2 SO) has played eight games with seven starts. 
 
ABOUT THE PATRIOTS
 
The Patriots have 21 returners and 10 newcomers on the roster for the 2024 season under third-year head coach Rich Costanzo (Maryland, '08).
 
Assistant coaches Noel Orozco (St. Bonaventure, '17) and Michael Callahan (North Carolina, '08) are also in their third year with the Patriots.
 
Graduate students returning from last year's squad are midfielders Luis Maestre (Elche, Spain) and Henry Wachsman (Barrington, Ill.), defender Noah McGrath (Melbourne, Australia) and goalkeeper Jaume Salvado (Barcelona, Spain). 
 
Returning seniors include forward Gabriel Silveira (Concordia, Brazil), midfielder Asparuh Slavov (Easton, Pa.) and defenders Ahmed Mohamed (Cairo, Egypt) and Javi Sanchez (Elche, Spain).
 
Returning juniors are midfielders Erick Kilosho (Roanoke, Va.) and Nicholas Prioli (Houston, Texas) along with defenders Will Carson (Wheeling, W.Va.) and Joshua Morrobel (Burke, Va.).
 
George Mason has eight returning sophomores on the roster with forwards Davis Crittenden (Newport News, Va.), Kelly Janssen (Sebastopol, Calif.) and Abdul Kamara (Woodbridge, Va.), midfielders James Eliuda (Juba, South Sudan) and Brent Fields (Alexandria, Va.), defender David Garcia (Woodbridge, Va.) and goalkeepers Jack Desroches (Virginia Beach, Va.) and Blake Moness (Toronto, Ontario, Canada).
 
The Patriots added five transfers during the offseason including graduate student forward Marek Gonda (Schaumburg, Ill.) and graduate student defenders Jordi Navio Sanchez (Vallirana, Spain), Matthew Trakszelis (Aurora, Ill.) and Leo Lemoine (Pau, France).  Junior defender Zayyan Ahmed (Leesburg, Va.) also enters his first year with the Patriots.
 
Four freshmen enter their first year with the Patriots.  Forwards Gianluca Franco (Clermont, Fla.) and Martim Sereno (Mira de Aire, Portugal), midfielders Quintin Clain (Villiers le Bel, France) and Thomas DeRoussel (Mason, Ohio).  Sophomore midfielder Javier Montava Ortega (Alcoy, Spain) enters his first year with the Green and Gold.
 
PATRIOTS SCHEDULE
 
George Mason will play 16 regular season games, a slate that includes eight matches against Atlantic 10 opponents and eight games at George Mason Stadium.
 
Head coach Rich Costanzo begins his third season after being named the Patriots' 11th men's soccer coach in program history.
 
The Green and Gold kicked off the regular season on the road against Navy (Aug. 22) with a 2-0 win over the Midshipmen in Annapolis, Md. Graduate student midfielder Henry Wachsman (22nd minute-GWG) and sophomore midfielder James Eliuda (53rd minute) each scored their first goal of the season.
 
The Patriots played their first home match against Delaware (Aug. 30) and defeated the Blue Hens, 4-2, at George Mason Stadium.  Graduate student defender Leo Lemoine (6th minute), sophomore midfielder Quentin Clain (45th minute) and freshman froward Martim Sereno (60th minute-GWG) each scored their first collegiate goals in the match, while senior midfielder Asparuh Slavov (90th minute) netted his first goal of the season.
 
The Patriots continued their season-high, three-match homestand with a 1-0 win over Bucknell (Sept. 3).  Sophomore midfielder James Eliuda scored his second goal of the season (15th minute-GWG). 
 
George Mason stayed unbeaten with a 4-0 victory over Howard (Sept. 7) in the last match of the homestand.  Freshman forward Martim Sereno scored his second goal of the season (28th minute) and sophomore midfielder Quentin Clain found the back of the net twice, his second and third goals of the season, in less than two minutes late in the first half (37th and 39th minute).  The Patriots took the 4-3 lead on an own goal (88th minute).
 
George Mason played three straight games on the road Sept. 10 through Sept. 21.
 
The Patriots blanked UNCW 1-0 (Sept. 10) in Wilmington, N.C.  Graduate student forward Marek Gonda scored his first goal as a Patriot into the lower left corner (25th minute-GWG).  
 
George Mason fell 1-0 at Old Dominion (Sept. 15) in Norfolk, Va.
 
The Patriots opened Atlantic 10 play at Massachusetts (Sept. 21) with a 2-1 victory over the Minutemen in Amherst, Mass.
 
Graduate student forward Marek Gonda (74th minute – GWG) and graduate student defender Luis Maestre (60th minute) each found the back of the net.
 
The Patriots returned home for a non-conference match against William & Mary (Sept. 24) and defeated the Tribe, 1-0.  Junior midfielder Nicholas Prioli scored his first goal of the season (18th minute-GWG) to lift the Patriots to the victory.
 
George Mason scored three goals in the second half to down rival George Washington (Sept. 28), 5-2.  Patriots graduate student forward Marek Gonda (32nd minute and 85th minute) and sophomore midfielder Quentin Clain (77th minute-GWG and 84th minute) each scored two goals, while graduate student midfielder Henry Wachsman scored his second goal of the season (42nd minute).
 
George Mason began October with a 2-1 road victory over La Salle (Oct. 5) in Philadelphia, Pa.  Graduate student forward Marek Gonda scored two goals (49th minute PK, 83rd minute-GWG) in the second half to lift the Patriots to their fourth straight win.
 
The match against the Explorers was the first of six that the Patriots will play in October, with three at home and three on the road in the month.
 
The Patriots defeated Loyola University Chicago (Oct. 9) 2-1 at George Mason Stadium.  Graduate student defender Leo Lemoine (67th minute) and senior defender Javi Sánchez (73rd minute-GWG) both scored goals in the second half to propel the No. 13 Patriots to the victory.
 
The Patriots dropped their first home match of the season 2-1 to Duquesne (Oct. 12).  Graduate student forward Marek Gonda converted a header (8th minute) for his seventh goal of the season.
 
George Mason were shutout 2-0 at No. 6 Maryland (Oct. 15) in College Park, Md.
 
The Patriots returned to A-10 play with a 4-1 victory at Saint Joseph's (Oct. 19) in Philadelphia, Pa.  Graduate student defender Luis Maestre (8th minute), Hawks own goal (17th minute), graduate student forward Marek Gonda (53rd minute) and senior defender Javi Sanchez (60th minute) found the back of the net.
 
George Mason scored four goals in the second half in a span of 8:10 in a 4-1 win in the final home game of the regular season against St. Bonaventure (Oct. 26).  Sophomore forward Kelly Janssen scored a pair of goals (63rd minute, 65th minute), while sophomore midfielder Javier Montava (57th minute) and graduate student defender Jordi Navio Sanchez (59th minute) each scored their first goal in a George Mason unform.
 
The Patriots concluded the regular season on the with a 0-0 draw on the road against in-state rival VCU (Nov. 2).
 
Prior to the start of the regular season, the Patriots will played exhibition games at home against American (Aug. 11) and Loyola-Md. (Aug. 17).
 
TICKET INFORMATION 
 
2024 A-10 Quarterfinal tickets are now available!  Tickets are $10 and are available for purchase online in advance, by calling the Athletic Ticket Office at 703-993-3270 or by purchasing at the George Mason Stadium gate.  Discounted tickets are available for groups (15+ tickets) and George Mason Faculty/Staff (up to 4).  Students should get their tickets through Mason360. PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
 
CORNER KICK
 
The Patriots and Explorers have faced each other 13 times, with La Salle leading the all-time series, 5-4-4.
 
George Mason is 2-4-3 against La Salle since joining the Atlantic 10 Conference in 2013.
 
The Patriots and Explorers met for the first time in 1999, with George Mason recording a 2-1 overtime victory on Sept. 18, 1999 in Fairfax.