Score: VCU 2, No. 24 George Mason 1
Location: Fairfax, Va. / George Mason Stadium
Records: VCU (4-4-4, 1-1-2), George Mason (5-4-1, 2-1-1)
 
THE SHORT STORY
It took just a 12-minute window for VCU men's soccer to stage its second comeback victory of the season against a nationally-ranked opponent. Freshman Luca Estabio scored his first collegiate goal in true ESPN SportsCenter Top 10 fashion and Camilo Comi launched the game-winner in front of his father, who is visiting from Argentina.
 
PITCH SIDE

• With the win, VCU secured its second top-25 victory of the season for the second year in a row
• Along with his goal, Estabio led the Rams with four shots
• Comi netted his first goal of the season on the penalty kick
• With the assist on the tying goal, Lucas White tallied his team-leading third of the season
• Trevor Maloney made four saves and the back line added a team save
• George Mason had just a slight edge in possession, 51-49 percent

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Maloney stifled the first George Mason opportunity with a diving save in the left corner of the net in the 10^th minute as the match remained scoreless
• In the 22^nd minute, Moussa Ndiaye made his defensive presence known with a save at the goal line, but the Patriots managed to score off the rebound to lead, 1-0
• The Rams continued to press into the half, as Estabio belted his first shot of the night just high in the 44^th minute
• Coming back from the half, Maloney made a pair of saves in the 46^th and 47^th minutes to hold the host to its lone goal and keep the Rams' one-goal deficit intact
• Looping a shot over the head of Patriots' goalkeeper Jaume Salvado, Estabio came out with the 1-1 equalizer for the Rams in the 65^th minute
• 11 minutes and 43 seconds later, Comi was taken down in the penalty box, setting the stage for his game-winner on the penalty shot
• The Rams upended Mason, 2-1

 
QUOTABLE
"[It was] a gutsy win from the fellas tonight. It's getting to the time of year where everyone will have some people out with injuries that accumulate throughout the season and tonight, we had some guys step up and put in a shift who haven't been playing as much as I'm sure they would like and in positions that may not be the best ones for them. George Mason is a very good team and presented a lot of challenges to us, so three points here on the road were obviously big. Now we're on to SLU this weekend," Head Coach Dave Giffard said.
 
UP NEXT
The Rams will return home on Saturday, October 11, to face RV Saint Louis at Sports Backers Stadium. The 7 p.m. match will be broadcast on ESPN+.