Box score (PDF)

FAIRFAX, Va. – Senior midfielder James Eliuda scored the game-winner in the first half to lift the Patriots to a 1-0 victory over Rhode Island on Sunday at George Mason Stadium.

The Patriots clinched a spot in the Atlantic 10 Tournament for the third consecutive season.

Quentin Clain, Maks Czyz, Matias de Jesus, Brent Fields, David Garcia, Fernando Carreon Garcia, Kelly Janssen, Yannick Mambo, Javier Montava Ortega, Pablo Rivero Toribio, Gabin Thomelier, Mouhamed Tucker and Eliuda were recognized prior to the match on Senior Day.

George Mason (5-6-3, 4-2-1 13 PTS. A10) took the lead over Rhode Island (7-9-0, 5-3-0 15 PTS. A10) early in the first half of play.  In the 10th minute, senior forward Gabin Thomelier sent a pass from the left side into the box for Eliuda, who scored with a one-touch into the lower right corner for fourth goal of the season and 10th tally of his career to put the Patriots in front, 1-0.

Senior defender David Garcia received a red card in the 24th minute, forcing the Patriots to play with 10 players for the remainder of the match.

Each team recorded just one shot on goal in the first 45 minutes of play.

Early in the second half, Rhode Island sophomore forward Lou Forster received a red card for a tackle on Patriots sophomore Cristian Ramos and the Rams were down to 10 players for the remainder of the match.

George Mason played a defensive final 45 minutes and held Rhode Island to just two shots on goal.  Sophomore goalkeeper Angel Hernandez recorded his fourth straight clean sheet in the win.

HOW THEY SCORED

10'| Eliuda scored with the right foot from 10 yards out into the lower right corner.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Rhode Island outshout George Mason, 12-11, while the Patriots finished with a 4-3 edge in shots on goal.  The Patriots earned six corner kicks and the Rams had three corner kicks in the match.

Eliuda (90 MIN) scored his fourth goal of the season and the 10th of his George Mason career.  Thomelier (69 MIN) notched his second assist of the year and took two shots with one on goal. 

Senior midfielder Javier Montava Ortega, Junior defender Riccardo Beretta, sophomore forward Jaime Godinho, freshman midfielder John Balkey, sophomore defender Cristian Ramos each played all 90 minutes in the match.

NEXT

The Patriots wrap up the regular season on the road at VCU next Saturday, Oct. 31 with the opening kick scheduled for 3 p.m. in Richmond, Va.