The George Mason High School girls soccer team defeated both William Monroe and Rappahannock County high schools this past week. Mason won 7-0 over William Monroe last Friday and beat Rappahannock County 6-0 Tuesday.

Head Coach Jennifer Parsons said hard games at the beginning of the season have helped identify weaknesses early that the team has been able to address, which has helped them improve throughout the season.

Parsons added that the team’s loss to Clarke County High School last month created urgency in the girls, because winning the district is important for games to come.

“The effort level and urgency and desire to win has become contagious among the girls,” Parsons said.

This effort and urgency was evident in the team’s performance against William Monroe. Within the first minute, sophomore Camille Rice passed the ball into the net after beating her defender and the goalie. Only five minutes later, junior Maggie Mascarenhas placed the ball past the goalie and into the far corner of the net. Senior captain Leah Roth also put a goal in to give Mason a 3-0 lead at halftime.

To begin the second half, sophomore Claire Trevisan volleyed a cross from Mascarenhas into the net. Freshman Ava Roth also volleyed in a cross from freshman Emma Graig. Mascarenhas scored a goal of her own by charging the net when the goalie fumbled the ball. To score Mason’s final goal, junior and sweeper Anna Freeman tapped the ball in off of a corner kick.

“Throughout the season, we have learned how to play well together as a team,” Rice said, “and ever since we lost to Clarke, we have really been connecting passes on the field and showing a lot of improvement.”

The team continued to display its improvement in a 6-0 victory over Rappahannock County. With two goals apiece by freshman Jessica Gemond and Trevisan, and one goal each by Leah Roth and Ava Roth, an impressive and substantial win was executed.

“I think mostly our attitude and the thought [is] that everyone is out to get us because we are defending state champs, and we need to protect our title no matter how young our team is,” Leah Roth said. “Our practices have gotten increasingly harder, and we are pushing each other every chance we get.”

Mason will travel to play Strasburg High School Thursday and will honor seniors on Senior Night next Tuesday when hosting rival Clarke County.