FAIRFAX, Va. - Looking for their first conference win of the season Wednesday, the Tigers took an early 1-0 lead when Olakunle Banjo scored his third goal of the season just 1:50 into the game. However, the Patriots (5-4-3, 2-2-1) answered with four straight goals in the first half and defeated Towson (1-8-1, 0-5-0) by a score of 5-3. The three goals scored by the Tigers are the most the team has scored this season since the team's 4-1 victory over Albany Sept. 20.
Ryan Gracia scored two goals and added an assist for the Patriots in George Mason's first half run, while Taylor Morgan and Wesley Sever also scored to give the Patriots a 4-1 halftime advantage.
Towson was able to get the first goal of the second half, when defender Christian Höfer scored his second goal of the season for the Tigers. The sophomore took a pass from Javier Bermudez Roa and beat George Mason goalkeeper Sean Cote to bring the Tigers to within a 4-2 margin.
Hofer then scored with 12:29 remaining in regulation to bring the Tigers to within a 4-3 score.
"We juggled things around and the boys went after it in the second half," Towson Coach Frank Olszewski said. "We played some good soccer in the second half. It's a positive step."
The Tigers will be back in action Saturday, Oct. 15 when they welcome Old Dominion to the Tiger Soccer Complex. The game will begin at 1:00 p.m.
