George Washington University men’s soccer team won the regular season Atlantic 10 title and top seed in the conference tournament after a 1-0 double overtime victory over Saint Louis Saturday evening at the Billikens' Robert R. Hermann Stadium.
GW (10-7-0 overall and 6-2-0 in the A-10) earned its first A-10 regular-season title since 2011. The Colonials will be the No. 1 seed in this week's Atlantic 10 Championship at George Mason Stadium in Fairfax. The team qualified for the conference tournament for the first time in four years and will play at 11 a.m.Thursday against No. 8 seed Virginia Commonwealth.
Junior Garrett Heine scored on a penalty kick in the 101st minute to secure Saturday’s win at St. Louis. GW posted its third consecutive shutout and seventh of the season, the largest number since 2011. The Colonials have not allowed a goal in their last 303:31 of action.
Senior goalkeeper Jack Lopez recorded five saves in his fifth shutout of the year. He has allowed just two goals in seven A-10 contests spanning more than 656 minutes, as he lowered his goals-against average to 0.27 in league games.
Mr. Heine was awarded the penalty kick after being fouled in the box with 9:13 remaining in the second overtime period, then converted the chance for his team-best ninth goal of the season and league-leading sixth game-winner. His nine goals are the most goals scored by a Colonial since Yoni Berhanu had 11 in 2011, while his six game-winners are the most since Andy Stadler also had six in 2008.
Neither team had many opportunities throughout the match. The Billikens (8-6-2, 4-2-2 A-10) outshot the Colonials 8-4 in regulation, but GW took the only two shots in overtime. Sophomore Christian Lawal took a team-high three shots, including two of the Colonials' three shots on goal.