New York, N.Y. - The George Mason Patriots (4-9-3, 3-4-1) fell to the Fordham Rams (9-5-2, 4-3-1) on Sunday afternoon at Moglia Stadium.
This defeat marks the Patriots' sixth consecutive loss to the Rams. Mason continues to trail in the all-time series between the two teams, holding a 3-6-3 record.
Mason controlled possession and applied offensive pressure for the first 13 minutes of the match, with four of the Patriots' six total shots occurring during that period. A header by junior midfielder Molly Starner during a corner kick sequence in the fifth minute and a long-range strike by sophomore Gianna Chrapek in the sixth minute both forced saves from Fordham's Kyla King. After preventing the Rams from taking any shots early on, the Patriots faced ten attempts from Fordham's attack between the 14th minute and the end of the first half, while being unable to register a single shot in response.
In the 53rd minute, Molly Starner delivered a long throw-in into the penalty area. After a misclearance by the Rams, freshman midfielder Adriana Bonanno recovered the ball at the top of the box and unleashed a shot directly into the arms of Kyla King. Despite continued pressure from Fordham's active offense, Mason held firm and maintained a 0-0 stalemate for the majority of the match.
In the 84th minute, Fordham nearly took the lead after delivering a corner kick into a crowded penalty area. Amid the chaos, the ball found an open Salma Simonin just three yards from goal. Simonin struck with her left foot, but her shot was blocked by junior goalkeeper Libby Davy, who made a diving save. The ball appeared destined for the lower left corner of the net, but redshirt sophomore midfielder Mia Arevalo-Delcid was perfectly positioned to make a crucial goal-line clearance.
With less than two minutes remaining, a counterattack from the Rams broke the deadlock and gave them a one-goal edge over the Patriots at the final whistle. Entering the match, Fordham and George Mason were tied for eighth place in the Atlantic 10 standings. With the win and three points earned, Fordham moved into a tie for sixth place, while Mason now sits alone in tenth.
HOW THEY SCORED
Fordham
89' | A Mason player was stripped of the ball at the halfway line as the Patriots were building their attack. Lena Johnsen received a pass in the central channel, beat her defender, and drove the ball 25 yards up the field. Johnsen unleashed a strike just outside the top of the box and found the back of the net in the top right corner.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Fordham outshot George Mason 19-6, including a 9-3 advantage in shots on goal. The Rams earned five corner kicks, compared to the Patriots' two.
Libby Davy made eight saves. Molly Starner recorded two shots, one of which was on goal. Four other Patriots each attempted one shot during the match.
NEXT FOR MASON
George Mason will head to Ohio to face Dayton this Thursday, October 23. Kickoff is set for 7 PM. The game will be available to be streamed on ESPN+.
