Box score (PDF)

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The Patriots led at the half but fell to West Virginia, 2-1, on Monday night in Morgantown, W.Va.

George Mason (1-2-1) took the lead over West Virginia (2-1-1) late in the first half.  In the 36th minute, junior defender Yannick Mambo started the play with a crisp pass ahead to sophomore Jaime Godinho, who sent a cross from the end line in front of the net.  Senior midfielder James Eliuda took the pass on one hop and blistered a one-time strike into the upper corner to put the Patriots in front 1-0.

Mambo recorded his second assist of the season and Godinho posted his first assist of the year.

With less than a minute to play in the half, West Virginia threatened off a set piece.  The Mountaineers played a corner kick into the box where sophomore defender Harry Hogben sent a header toward the lower left corner, but Patriots sophomore goalkeeper Angel Hernandez made a diving save to keep George Mason in front.

The Patriots maintained the advantage less than five minutes into the second half on a fantastic play by redshirt-freshman midfielder John Balkey.  On a set piece, the Mountaineers played the ball across the box to junior forward Kanta Ishii, who sent a header on goal past Hernandez.  Balkey made the block with his left leg right on the goal line to keep the ball out before falling into the net.  After a review, the ruling of no-goal was confirmed.

The Mountaineers scored a pair of goals just over four minutes apart to take the lead late in the second half.

In the 77th minute, the Patriots were called for a foul inside the penalty area.  Mountaineers senior forward Pablo Pozos converted the penalty kick into the upper right corner of the net for the equalizer.

Four minutes later, West Virginia played the ball ahead from the midfield line where sophomore forward Julen Recalde took a cross and scored the eventual game winner on his own rebound after Hernandez made the initial save to make in 2-1 Mountaineers.  

HOW THEY SCORED

36'| Eliuda scored off a cross with the right foot from seven yards out into the upper right corner.
77'| Pozos converted a penalty kick with the right foot into the top right corner.
81'| Recalde scored on his own rebound with the right foot from six yards out into the bottom center of the net.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

The Mountaineers outshot the Patriots, 20-5, including a 10-2 advantage in shots on goal.  West Virginia had eight corner kicks and George Mason earned three corner kicks in the match.

Eliuda (90 MIN) scored with his lone shot on goal, senior forward Gabin Thomelier (81 MIN) took two shots and senior forward Quentin Clain (68 MIN) also recorded a shot on goal.

Fifth year defender Pablo Rivero Toribio, Balkey and Mambo each played all 90 minutes.

NEXT

The Patriots play their first Atlantic 10 match of the season on the road at Davidson on Friday Sept. 11 with the opening kick scheduled for 7 p.m. in Davidson, N.C.