Minutewomen Set For A-10 Semifinals Vs. George Washington

University of Massachusetts Women's Soccer Game Notes & Information
Match 19	No. 3 Massachusetts (10-5-3) vs. No. 2 George Washington (13-2-4)
Date // Time	Friday, November 8, 2019 // 5 PM (ET)
Location	St. Louis, Mo. // Hermann Stadium
Championship Info	Atlantic 10 Bracket // Championship Central // Notes
Live Statistics	Live Stats
Watch	ESPN+
Listen	WMUA
Twitter	@UMassW Soccer
Instagram	UMass Women's Soccer
Facebook	UMass Women's Soccer
Tickets // Directions	Tickets // Directions

AMHERST, Mass. – The UMass women's soccer team is back in the Atlantic 10 semifinals for the first time since 2013. The Minutewomen, the No. 3 seed in the tournament, will take on No. 2 seed George Washington on Friday afternoon at 5 p.m. (ET) at Hermann Field in St. Louis, Mo. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.

UMass in the Atlantic 10 Championship
UMass is making its 16th appearance in the conference tournament in team history. The Minutewomen are 12-11-1 all-time in A-10 postseason play, and has won the league championship four times (1993, 1994, 1995, 1997).

The Minutewomen are making their 11th appearance in the conference semifinal match, and first since 2013. UMass is 6-4 all-time in semifinal action, and looking to return to the A-10 title game for the first time since 2011.

UMass and George Washington are meeting in the semifinals for just the third time, and first since 1996.
The Minutewomen are 2-0 all-time against the Colonials in the semifinals, and 5-0 all-time in the postseason.

UMass reached the 2019 semifinal thanks to a 4-0 win over Fordham last weekend in the A-10 quarterfinals at Rudd Field, where the Minutewomen converted on three corner kicks in a six-minute span early in the second half before adding another goal late.

UMass is back
Led by second year head coach Jason Dowiak, the Minutewomen entered the postseason as the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament thanks to a 6-3-1 mark in league play, its best finish since 2000.

Overall, UMass is 10-5-3 on the season, marking the first time since 2000 and 2001 that the Minutewomen have recorded double-digit wins in consecutive seasons. Dowiak is also the first UMass head coach since Jim Rudy in 1998 and 1999 to win at least 10 games in each of his first two seasons at the helm.

Front and center
Massachusetts has been led this season by freshman Melissa Kössler, who is 29th in the nation in total points (29) and 19th in points per game (1.81), while her 11 goals are good for a tie for 37th in the NCAA with teammate Lauren Bonavita. Kössler's 29 points this season are the most for a Minutewoman since Moa Mattsson had 29 in 2012, and she's one away from becoming the first player since 1999 (Emma Kurowski) to reach 30 points in a season.

Bonavita has also added 11 goals, and enters Friday's match on a five-game scoring streak. Kössler and Bonavita are the first Minutewomen duo since 1998 to both record double-digit goals in a season.

Rookie Ansley Frazier, meanwhile, joins Kossler as one of the top freshmen in the nation. She is tied for fifth in the NCAA with 12 assists this season, including a three-assist afternoon against Fordham in the A-10 quarterfinal against Fordham last weekend.

Tenacious D
In goal, graduate student Peyton Ryan has played every minute this season, posting a 10-5-3 record with a 1.56 goals against average, .695 save percentage and three clean sheets.

Earlier this season
Massachusetts erased a 1-0 deficit and pulled in front, 2-1, but George Washington managed to tie the score late and claimed a 3-2 overtime victory over the Minutewomen on October 3 at GW Soccer Field.

Sini Laaksonen and Melissa Kössler both scored for UMass before the Colonials leveled the match in the 79th minute to force extra time, winning it in the 96th. Peyton Ryan made a season-high 11 saves in the setback.

The Colonials edged UMass in shots, 19-18 and led in corner kicks, 5-4.

Scoreboard

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Players Mentioned

Lauren Bonavita

Ansley Frazier

Sini Laaksonen

Peyton Ryan

Scoreboard

University of Massachusets Athletics