George Mason's Michael Butts came off the bench to play 88 minutes and make four saves, as he helped the Patriots post a 1-0 win over the Fordham Rams on Sunday afternoon in Fairfax, Va.
With the loss, Fordham falls to 5-7-2 overall, 2-2-1 in the Atlantic 10, while George Mason improved to 9-3-3 on the year, 2-2-1 in the league.
The only goal of the game came in the second minute, as Fordham fouled a George Mason player in the box, awarding a penalty kick to the Patriots. Timi Mulgrew stepped up to the penalty spot and scored to the lower left corner for his tenth goal of the season.
Fordham got a chance right away to get the game tied, as on the offensive end the Rams would get a corner kick off a scramble to the right of the George Mason goal. On the play, Patriots' goalkeeper Steffen Kraus was injured and had to leave the game, bringing Michael Butts off the bench.
On that corner, the ball sailed to the far side for
Christopher Bazzini, but his shot just missed the net on the left side.
Later, just into the second half, Fordham almost evened the game on a bicycle kick shot by
Ole Sandnes. However, Butts made the save, keeping it a one-goal game.
The Rams again threatened in the 74
th minute with
Andres Penfold getting a clear cut attempt in front of the goal. Butts punched the ball up, hitting the crossbar and falling out of play.
Butts finished the game with four saves to finish the clean sheet, while Fordham keeper
Sean Brailey had two saves.
The Fordham men's soccer team will next be in action on Sunday, October 26
th, when the Rams host Massachusetts at noon on Jack Coffey Field in the first half of a soccer doubleheader.
