Men's Soccer Moves Forward: Eight Crazy Nights

Story by Broadside Staff Writer Brendan Murphy. Photo by Courtney Erland.

Freshman midfielder Eber Martinez scored the game-winning goal from 25 yards out in the 47th minute to lead George Mason (14-6-2) past University of Pennsylvania (11-3-4) in the first round of NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Championship on Friday at George Mason Stadium. The 1-0 victory was Mason’s first in NCAA Tournament play since the 1996 season when the Patriots defeated University of Virginia 1-0 in the first round. Senior forward Kwame Adjeman-Pamboe added an assist to extend his point-streak to eight games.

“J.J. [Adjeman-Pamboe] gave me an excellent pass. He saw me out wide and then I saw a whole space just open. So I took one guy and then I just ripped it in the corner,” Martinez said.

With the victory Mason advances to the second round of the tournament against the number two-overall seed University of Maryland Terrapins on Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. in College Park, Md. The Terrapins are 18-3-0 and winners of the ACC Championship.

In the 28th minute Penn’s leading scorer, senior forward Omid Shokoufandeh, was stopped on a penalty kick by junior goalkeeper Sean Kelley, after Mason was whistled for a handball in the box.

“My assistant coach gave me a good scouting report for the game. He told me [Shokoufandeh] normally goes to his right. I don’t always like knowing because it kind of psyches me out. Sometimes I think he is going to switch it up on me. But I went with that and I just got a good jump on it.”

In the 33rd minute, Penn was called for a handball in the box, but sophomore Irvin Martinez failed to score from the penalty kick spot. The Patriots outshot the Quakers 11-to-8 in the scoreless first half.

Eber Martinez’s goal was his second of the season and was assisted by Adjeman-Pamboe for his team leading seventh assist. Entering the game, Adjeman-Pamboe was named Soccer America’s Player of the Week after leading Mason to seven straight victories and the CAA Tournament Championship. The Patriots shut out Northeastern University 1-0 to capture their fifth CAA championship in school history.

“I feel honored to earn such an award and every day I am always getting a text saying I got this or that. It’s great to see my name. I am completely shocked,” Adjeman-Pamboe said.

Penn outshot Mason 6-to-2 in the second half. In the final 15 minutes alone Penn took four shots, but were saved by Sean Kelley who recorded five saves in the 90 minutes. It is the sixth shutout in Mason’s eight-game winning streak and 10th overall for the 2008 season.

Kelley, who won his 13th game this season after the first round victory over Penn, battled back from the CAA semifinals after giving up three goals and recording only two saves. In the last two games, Kelley stopped all eight shots on goal.

“The defense has just gotten better as the season has progressed. We have real great chemistry—not just the back four but with all midfielders too. We are all really on the same page, especially lately,” Kelley said.

Currently ranked 18th in the nation according to Soccer America polls, the Patriots are happy with their success, outscoring opponents 20-to-4 in the last eight games, but plan to makes some noise in the tournament.

“The team is excited. But I told them we have to keep going if we want to make some moves in this tournament. We didn’t get in just to get in,” Adjeman-Pamboe said.