Box score (PDF)

FAIRFAX, Va. – Sophomore forward Jaime Godinho scored two goals including his first career game-winner and fifth-year midfielder Matias de Jesus netted his first goal with the Green and Gold in the Patriots 3-1 victory over William & Mary in the home opener on Thursday night at George Mason Stadium.

George Mason (1-1-0) took the lead over William & Mary (1-2-0) late in the first half.  In the 36th minute, senior midfielder James Eliuda started the scoring play, passing the ball to the right sideline for Sereno, who played a touch ahead to junior defender Yannick Mambo.

Mambo worked the ball to the right side of the net and sent a shot into the box.  Tribe senior goalkeeper Diego Garciarena punched the ball out, but right at Godinho, who chipped the ball up and into the right side of the net to put the Patriots in front, 1-0.

William & Mary had the first chance of the match in the 11th minute with a free kick from 17 feet out in the center of the penalty area, but the wall of the Patriots blocked the shot.

The Patriots had a scoring chance in the final seconds of the first half.  Eliuda raced down the right side and sent a cross to the top of the penalty area.  Midfielder Matias de Jesus blistered a low shot that went just wide of the left post.

George Mason increased the lead early in the second half.  In the 49th minute, senior forward Gabin Thomelier, kept the ball away from a pair of Tribe defenders in the right corner of the pitch and sent a cross into the penalty area.  Eliuda headed a perfect pass on one bounce to Godinho, who blistered a shot past the diving William & Mary goalkeeper and into the lower right corner to make it 2-0.

In the 57th minute, an attempted cross by the tribe hit Patriots fifth-year defender Pablo Rivero Torbio in the hand.  Tribe senior forward Gabe Ruitenberg converted the penalty kick into the upper left corner to cut the lead to 2-1.

Less than three minutes later, the Patriots capitalized on a penalty kick of their own.  de Jesus worked his way into the penalty area where he was taken down with a hard tackle.  He stepped penalty mark and blasted a shot that was stopped by the Tribe goalkeeper, but de Jesus pounced on his own rebound and scored his first goal as a Patriot into the lower left corner to extend the advantage to 3-1.

With less than nine minutes remaining the match was delayed 1:22 minutes due to weather.  The teams returned to the field at 10:32 EST time to finish the final eight-plus minutes of the match.

HOW THEY SCORED

36' | Godinho chipped a rebound with the right foot into the right side of the net from seven yards out.
49'| Godinho scored with the right foot into the lower right corner from 15 yards out.
57'| Ruitenberg converted a penalty kick with the right foot into the upper left corner.
60' | de Jesus scored with the right foot into the lower left corner on a rebound off a penalty kick.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

The Patriots outshot the Tribe, 12-6, including a 7-3 advantage in shots on goal.  William & Mary earned four corner kicks and George Mason had three corner kicks in the match.

George Mason won its third straight home match against William & Mary dating back to the 2012 season.  The Patriots won their home opener for the third straight year.

For the Patriots, Godinho (3 Shots, 3 SOG, 77 MIN) recorded his first career game-winning goal as part of his first career multi-goal game, while de Jesus (4 Shots, 3 SOG, 60 MIN) found the back of the net for the first time as a Patriot.

Sophomore goalkeeper Angel Hernandez (81 MIN, 2 SV) notched his first win as a Patriots in his first start with the Green and Gold, while Thomelier (1 Assist, 1 SOG, 30 MIN) made his George Mason debut. 

Junior defenders Finnley O'Brien (81 MIN) and Riccardo Beretta (36 MIN) along with sophomore midfielder John Balkey (81 MIN) each made their collegiate debut.  Sophomore defender Angelo Ginocchi (3 MIN) and sophomore forward Matthew Dean (21 MIN) also made their Patriots debut.

NEXT

The Patriots host No. 12 Marshall on Tuesday, Sept. 1 with the opening kick scheduled for 7 p.m. at George Mason Stadium.