George Washington men win A-10 regular-season title

Box Score | A-10 Championship Bracket

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (Via George Washington University) – Junior Garrett Heine scored on a penalty kick in the 101st minute to propel the George Washington men’s soccer team to the Atlantic 10 regular-season championship with a 1-0 double-overtime victory over Saint Louis in Saturday evening at the Billikens’ Robert R. Hermann Stadium.

GW (10-7-0, 6-2-0 A-10) earns its first A-10 regular-season title since 2011 and third overall and will be the No. 1 seed in next week’s Atlantic 10 Championship at George Mason Stadium in Fairfax, Virginia. The Colonials, who qualify for the conference tournament for the first time in four years, will play their quarterfinal match at 11 a.m. on Thursday against No. 8 seed VCU.

GW posted its third consecutive shutout and seventh of the season, its most clean sheets 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 a miniscule 0.27 in league games.

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. Heine’s nine goals are the most goals scored by a Colonial since Yoni Berhanu had 11 markers 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.

Saint Louis keeper David Andrew recorded two saves in the game.

The Colonials have reached the 10-win plateau for the first time since 2011.