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Kingston, R.I. – Based on the recent women's soccer history between the Fordham Rams and George Mason Patriots, it was no surprise that Thursday night's Atlantic 10 quarterfinal match needed overtime. However, unlike last season, where the Rams prevailed in penalty kicks, George Mason's Erin Mitchell scored in the 97
th minute to give the Patriots a 2-1 win over the Rams and eliminate Fordham from the Atlantic 10 Championship.
George Mason got on the scoreboard early in the first half to take a 1-0 lead. Nia Elbeck put a cross into the box from the right side, which was headed out by a Fordham defender. George Mason's Jenna Hamilton would pick up the loose ball and score to the left side of the net from 19 yards out for her third goal of the season.
The score remained that way for the next 74 minutes, until the Rams found the equalizer in the 89
th minute. After a clearance by the Patriots, Fordham's
Nicole Bates connected on a long ball to get the Rams' back in the box. The ball deflected off a couple of players in front with
Brooke Salmon getting a final touch on it and knocking the ball into the lower right corner of the net for the equalizer. It was Salmon's team-leading sixth goal of the season.
In overtime, the game-winning goal came in the 97
th minute for George Mason, as
Rachel Collage missed a clearing attempt with Erin Mitchell running right behind her. Mitchell picked up the ball and chipped it over Fordham goalkeeper
Megan Fitzgerald from 10 yards out for the deciding marker. It was Mitchell's eighth of the season.
In net, Kirsten Glad made three saves in the win for George Mason, while Fitzgerald had four saves for the Rams.
Fordham ends its season with a 10-5-5 record.
Brooke Salmon celebrates her game-tying goal in the 89th minute (Ken Jancef/Atlantic 10)
