The George Mason High School girls soccer team came up short against rival Clarke County High School last Friday. Their 4-2 loss was unexpected for Mason, who beat Clarke County 2-0 last year to gain the state champion title. Expectations have been high this year for the team, four-time defending state champions.

“I think everyone expects us to blow out teams because that’s how it’s been for multiple years,” senior captain Leah Roth said, “but that just puts a lot of pressure on us, especially because we are a young team and are going through a building period.”

Leah Roth started off satisfying expectations as she scored early in the game, off of a left-footed shot that flew to the right corner. Towards the middle of the first half, Clarke County launched a shot from the top of the box, which tied the game 1-1.

Shortly after, Ava Roth fired back when she received a cross from junior Maggie Mascarenhas and slotted the ball into the goal. This 2-1 lead led Mason to turn lackadaisical. Clarke County’s habit of booting the ball and chasing after it, and Mason players not performing to the best of their abilities, made for a sloppy first half.

“Our history has given us a lot of pressure to cream every team, which can’t always happen, like in the Clarke game,” sophomore Camille Rice said.

This sloppiness continued into the second half and allowed Clarke County to score three more goals to beat Mason 4-2.

“We all weren’t playing to our best abilities and are just excited for them to come to Mason,” Leah Roth said. The Mason girls are working hard in practices and games to seek revenge against Clarke County when they face each other next.

The girls also faced Central High School Tuesday, whom they beat 8-0 to gain the slaughter rule. It was an improvement over the 2-0 victory the last time they faced Central.

Mason continuously strung together passes and kept the ball on Central’s half of the field for the majority of the game. The goal scorers of the game were Ava Roth with one goal, Leah Roth with two goals, Rice with two goals, sophomore Claire Trevisan with two goals, Mascarenhas with one goal.

This 8-0 mercy rule win was very uplifting for the Lady Mustangs after their tough loss against Clarke County.

“I believe people think every game we play should have the same outcome as the Central game, but there are many strong teams that we face and it will be a fight to beat them,” Trevisan said.

Mason will play Friday against Madison County High School and again next Tuesday against Manassas Park High School.