Mitchell Richtmyre/Fourth Estate
Mason wins 2-0 against La Salle to keep their championship hopes alive
BY CHRISTIAN SEGOVIA, ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
On Nov. 8th, Mason’s Men Soccer advanced to the Atlantic 10 semifinals after winning 2-0 against La Salle. Mason is the first team in Division I to hit 13 wins this season.
In the first 10 minutes, Mason dominated the game with strong ball movement on the field to find any chance of scoring. In the 15th minute, La Salle almost scored a goal, but it was called off due to a foul inside the box.
Whenever Mason lost the ball, the Patriots added pressure to La Salle and regained possession quickly. With this style of play, La Salle struggled to create chances.
In the 33rd minute, Mason freshman forward Martim Sereno, on the right side of the field, found Mason graduate student defender Jordi Navio Sanchez running inside the box. Sanchez passed the ball to sophomore midfielder Javier Montava, who ran from the outside box to the inside box, then kicked the ball to the bottom left corner, putting Mason up 1-0.
Things started to get chippy in the second half for the teams, as both sides started to receive yellow cards. In the 59th minute, Mason sophomore forward Quentin Clain started a breakaway for Mason’s attack but it ended shortly because of La Salle midfielder Nevin Baer’s tackle, costing him a yellow card.
La Salle committed 12 fouls while Mason committed six fouls. La Salle received 6 yellow cards and one red card while Mason received 2 yellow cards.
In the 73rd minute, the Explorers gave the ball away to Mason sophomore forward Kelly Janssen. Janssen took the ball down the left, passed two of La Salle’s defenders, and got the ball over La Salle’s goalkeeper. Janssen kicked the ball down the middle, putting Mason up 2-0.
Mason had eight shots on target in the game, including Montava’s second goal of the season and a third goal for Janssen.
Graduate goalkeeper Jaume Salvado received his sixth clean sheet of the season after Mason’s defense conceded no goals.
Mason looks to add to its 8-1 record at home as they face Saint Louis at George Mason Stadium on Nov. 13 in the A-10 semifinals. Student tickets are available through Mason360.