Fairfax, Va. - Junior midfielder Molly Starner scored her fifth goal of the season in a 1-1 stalemate between the George Mason Patriots (4-10-4, 3-5-2) and Saint Joseph's Hawks (5-10-3, 2-6-3) on Sunday afternoon at George Mason Stadium.

George Mason continues to trail in the all-time series against Saint Joseph's, with a record of 2-6-3. The last time the two programs met in Fairfax was on October 13, 2022. That match also ended in a draw, as both teams were held scoreless.

Prior to kickoff in the Patriots' season finale, the team held a Senior Day ceremony on the field. Seniors Selamawit Caldart, Mia Casciani, Rachel Eberly, and Tessa Niedzwiedzki were honored as they were joined by family and friends. Graduate students Jordan Felton and Zoë Vidaurre were also recognized.

Mason and St. Joe's faced off in their final match of the season, a back-and-forth battle from the opening whistle to the final one. The game kicked off with both teams trading early shot attempts. In the 14th minute, Mia Arevalo-Delcid fired a powerful shot from nearly 30 yards out, but St. Joe's goalkeeper Alli Popham deflected it onto the crossbar, keeping the game level. The Hawks found the opening goal shortly after, capitalizing on a chaotic sequence in their own penalty area. In the 25th minute, midfielder Rachel Eberly took the first corner of the match, sparking momentum for the Patriots. The Green and Gold were especially threatening from set-piece opportunities created through long throw-ins. Despite multiple promising chances, St. Joe's defense held firm, leaving Mason scoreless at halftime and trailing by one.

The Patriots came out in the second half relentless in their pursuit of a goal. In the 51st minute, junior Maria Franjicic launched a ball from just past the halfway line, finding Molly Starner as she broke behind the Hawks defense and made a run into the box. As both her defender and the goalkeeper closed in, Starner's shot was forced wide left. Just minutes later, Maria Franjicic once again connected with Molly Starner to find the equalizing goal for George Mason. 

The Patriots were able to control possession for the majority of the second half. However, the passes between the players in Gold did not always connect, occasionally disrupting their rhythm and limiting their attacking flow. Both the Patriots' and the Hawks' defenses limited clean chances in the attacking third, making it difficult for either side to break through. 

In the 88th minute, just moments after a threatening chance for Mason in front of goal, Molly Starner was brought down by a physical tackle in the box. The challenge forced her to exit the match, but it earned Mason a crucial penalty kick. Zoë Vidaurre stepped up to take the shot, but her attempt was deflected back into play by a diving save from Hawks goalkeeper Alli Popham. 

In a thrilling season finale, with just 30 seconds left on the game clock, Rachel Eberly served a ball from the left flank, aiming to find junior Madyson Taylor at the top of the six-yard box. A St. Joe's defender intercepted the pass and forced the ball out of play. In the final seconds, Eberly took a corner kick, but the box was too crowded for a clean attempt. The Hawks managed to clear the ball, ending Mason's last push for a winner on Senior Day. 


HOW THEY SCORED

Saint Joseph's
20' | Senior forward Natalee Vicari settled a ball delivered to the top of the 18 and tapped a pass to sophomore forward Sarah Fisher, who was making a run into the box. Junior goalkeeper Libby Davy came off her line to prevent Fisher from taking a shot, but was unable to collect the ball as she collided with Fisher. Vicari recovered the loose ball and attempted a shot, but junior defender Carly Passaro, positioned between the posts, made a crucial save. The rebound fell to Vicari, whose header slipped through Davy's hands and rolled into the back of the net.

George Mason 
65' | After a sustained stretch of controlled possession, Mia Arevalo-Delcid sent the ball wide to Madyson Taylor, who made a run down the right wing. Pressured by two defenders, Taylor couldn't deliver a clean cross into the box and instead passed back to Maria Franjicic, positioned near the right edge of the attacking third. Franjicic found Molly Starner, who drove toward the top of the six-yard box and made a diving header toward the right side of the goal. 


INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Both teams recorded seven shots in the first half, but George Mason pulled ahead by the final whistle, outshooting Saint Joseph's 16-12 and holding an 8-4 advantage in shots on goal. Mason held only a slight edge in corner kicks, earning seven compared to the Hawks' six.

Nine different players recorded at least one shot for Saint Joseph's, while seven Patriots registered shot attempts. Goal-scorer Molly Starner led Mason with a season-high four shots, including two on target. Sophomore Isabella Yousefi set career highs with three shots and two shots on goal. Junior Maria Franjicic also notched a career-best with three shot attempts. Senior Rachel Eberly added two shots - her highest mark of the season, fittingly on her Senior Day.