The George Mason High School varsity girls soccer team began pursuit of pairing their first district regular season championship in six years with a Bull Run tournament crown on Tuesday, downing Rappahannock County 2-0 in the semifinals.
Even though the Mustangs secured a birth in the Region B tournament with their 2-1 victory over Clarke County and the regular season crown last week, coach Jennifer Parsons’ squad has their minds squarely focused on taking the tournament title.
In the previous two matchups between Mason and the Panthers, the Mustangs had won by a combined score of 15-0. This time, however, Rappahannock came out stacking the box with nearly every player they had, making it incredibly difficult for the Mason forwards to penetrate.
The modified defense was still no match for standout freshman midfielder Violet Miller, who scored both goals on the night to lead her team. The Mustangs possessed the ball for nearly the entire night, but with so many Panther defenders packed into the box, they were unable to find many open looks on goal.
In tournament time though, a win is a win, as the victory sets up yet another showdown with Clarke County on Thursday in Falls Church at 7 p.m., part of a doubleheader with the boys’ squad. The winner of the Bull Run championship will earn the number one seed, and a home game, in the Region B tournament, that begins next Monday.
In the previous two meetings between the Mustangs and the Eagles, Mason has dominated the pitch consistently and, for the most part, has held Clarke’s main scoring threat, senior forward Danielle Moyer, in check. In their third meeting of the season, a key will be stopping the all-state Eagle. If last week’s contest was any indication — Moyer was held scoreless and limited to only a couple shots on goal — the Mason defense should be up to the task.
