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FAIRFAX, Va. – Sophomore midfielder Javier Montava and sophomore forward Kelly Janssen each scored to lift the top-seeded Patriots past eighth-seeded La Salle in the Atlantic 10 Championship quarterfinal on Friday, Nov. 8 at George Mason Stadium in Fairfax, Va.
 
George Mason improved to 5-1 all-time in the Atlantic 10 Championship.  The Patriots are the first team in Division I men's soccer to post 13 victories this season. 
 
George Mason (13-3-1, 6-1-1 A-10) took the lead over La Salle (6-8-4, 3-3-2 A-10) in the 33rd minute of play.
 
Graduate student defender Jordi Navio Sanchez played the ball to Montava, who found the back of the net into the lower left corner from 10 yards to put the Patriots in front, 1-0.
 
Montava netted his second goal of the season and his first game-winner in a George Mason uniform.
 
The Patriots have scored the first goal in 11 of their 17 matches this season, including the first goal of the match in the first 32 minutes of play in 10 games.
 
In the 73rd minute, Janssen found space inside the six-yard box and scored his third goal of the season to increase the lead to 2-0.
 
The Patriots defense didn't surrender a shot on goal until the final minute of the match.  Graduate student goalkeeper Jaume Salvado (11-3-1) recorded his sixth clean sheet of the season.
 
The Patriots improved to 8-1 at home this season and defeated the Explorers at George Mason Stadium for the first time since a 3-1 win during the 2005 season.
 
HOW THEY SCORED
 
33' | Montava scored from 10 yards out into the lower left corner with the right foot.
73' | Janssen scored from inside the box into the center of the net with the right foot.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS

The Patriots finished the match with a 7-1 advantage in shots on goal over the Explorers.  George Mason had eight corner kicks while La Salle finished with one corner kick in the match.
 
Graduate student midfielder Henry Wachsman, graduate student defenders Luis Maestre and Jordi Navio Sanchez, senior defender Javi Sánchez, sophomore midfielder James Eliuda and Montava each played 90 minutes in the match.
 
NEXT FOR MASON
 
The top-seeded Patriots will host the Atlantic 10 Championship semifinal match on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at George Mason Stadium.  George Mason will face the lowest remaining seed (#4 Duquesne, #5 Fordham or #6 Saint Louis) with the game time to be determined.