Sept. 11, 2016 Final Stats
FAIRFAX, Va. â€" The Gonzaga men's soccer team continued its torrid start to the season on Sunday with a 2-1 comeback win at George Mason.
Gonzaga entered halftime down 1-0, which marked the first time the Zags have trailed at any point in any match this season. Christo Michaelson and Ben White each posted goals in the second half to propel GU past the Patriots.
"This was a great comeback for the team because we haven't been behind this year. It was a different game, definitely a learning lesson for the guys," head coach Einar Thorarinsson said. "That was a tall team so we had to switch our attack in the second half and keep the ball on the ground more. It was our ground attack that won us this game today. We just have to keep going at it one game at a time."
The win moves GU to 5-0-1 on the season, its best start to a year since going 8-0-0 to start the 1980 season, and the best under Thorarinsson. The unbeaten streak is now at seven, dating back to the final game of the 2015 season. That's the longest since a seven-gamer in the middle of the 2013 season.
GU outshot George Mason 7-3 in the first half, but trailed 1-0 on the scoreboard after the Patriots netted a goal in the 21st minute. However, the Zags would get it rolling in the second half, starting in the 61st minute with Michaelson. He took a pass from Graison Le who was on the endline and pushed the ball back to Michaelson in the middle of the field. The goal was Michaelson's second of the season and second in the last two games.
Thirteen minutes later, GU netted the game-winner off the foot of Ben White. The junior defender collected a deflection off a throw-in at the top of the box and put Gonzaga ahead for good with his second goal of the year.
GU goalkeeper Ben Willis made three saves in the match, allowing just the one Patriot goal.
Gonzaga remains the only unbeaten team in the West Coast Conference.
The Zags will be back on the road against another ranked squad when they face No. 12 Utah Valley in Orem, Utah. Gonzaga is 2-0-0 against ranked teams so far this season with wins over then-No. 16 Seattle and No. 20 American.
