From memory, shots on goal were 11-9, corners were about even maybe 7-7...but Mason controlled the action via the midfield for all but about 15-20 minutes of the game. Radford had some great early chances to go up 1-0 or 2-0, which could have made it a different game. However, let me be clear, Mason is VERY good...athletic and strong at all positions...and deserved to win.
Posted on 6/12 1:00 PM | IP: Logged
Congratulations to the George Mason ladies. This team has shown steady improvement throughout the season culminating in this state championship.
Posted on 6/12 7:40 PM | IP: Logged
GM is also very well coached. Precise passing, good ball movement and always dangerous on the corners and free kicks.
I was especially impressed by how fundamentally sound their defenders were. I should have taped them to show my rec team on how to guard the goal.
Posted on 6/12 10:51 PM | IP: Logged
Agree on the defenders. I just went through over 1000 pictures of the game, and the Radford girls had quite a few runs forward with the ball, and in almost every instance there is a Mason girl on the ball and one waiting inside the 18...with their legs underneath them and ready to move. Honestly, I think Mason would have done very well in the AA girls state tourney. They probably do not beat Broad Run, but they would have been very competitive with any of the other schools.
Posted on 6/12 10:56 PM | IP: Logged
They lost 6-0 to AAA school Loudoun Valley, Northwest Region Champion and State Semifinalist, but I think their goalkeeper had just rejoined the team after winning the Girls Division 2 basketball championship, so they might have been out of sync. They beat AAA school South Lakes 4-1 and AA School Potomac Falls 1-0. Potomac Falls lost to Broad Run 1-0 in the Dulles District playoffs.
I agree that George Mason would give any AA or A school a good game and could even hold it's own with many AAA schools. Not too bad for a school with 800 students (and that includes 8th grade).
This post was edited on 6/13 12:19 AM by EdJoyce
Posted on 6/13 12:17 AM | IP: Logged
when they played loudoun valley, they were missing a lot of players due to the group A state basketball championships, vital players like goalie mitchell and all-district/all-region POY violet miller, plus numerous others (hence usual JV players get called up for these pre-district season games).
it has been misleading the last couple of years because mason gets blown out/loses the first couple of games because the core of their team plays basketball as well and miss these out-of-district games
Posted on 6/13 2:04 AM | IP: Logged
Radford lost close games to AAA powers Kellam and Norfolk Academy two years ago. They have defeated the Blacksburg girls twice in the past three years. There is not a vast difference between the best A teams and the top AA or AAA teams. You also just reminded me that Mason is nearly twice the size of Radford. It would be nice to see them move to AA soon ;)
Posted on 6/13 10:00 AM | IP: Logged
radford has something like 450 at their school and mason has 630-ish in grades 9-12, that's not even close to twice as many...
but radford, needless to say, plays very well for smaller school. great athletes down there
Posted on 6/13 12:22 PM | IP: Logged
Most recent enrollment figures (11/2009)...Mason 649, Radford 437...and yes, I admit to the exaggeration ;), but I would like to see how the Radford girls (and guys) would do with another 105 bodies to choose from for each team, respectively.
Posted on 6/13 2:05 PM | IP: Logged
radford needs to improve their club more and face tougher competition in my opinion.
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