Freshman Ashley Spivey scored a goal and added an assist, while senior Domenica Hodak added two assists to lead the way for the University of Maryland women's soccer team in its 3-1 victory over George Mason Friday night at the George Mason Stadium.

The Terrapins improved to 2-1-1 on the season, while George Mason's record fell to 2-3-0.

"This was a great win for our team tonight," said Maryland head coach Jonathan Morgan. "In our last two games we have demonstrated an ability to keep the ball, but we've just struggled to finish the opportunities we've created. Tonight we were able to put together a good performance and score three nice goals.

"We had a lot of great contributions tonight from different players. Our seniors were big time tonight with their performances. It was great to see Erika Nelson perform so well in her first collegiate start and Gabby Galanti score in her first collegiate match."

The Patriots had the first chance of the game in the 10th minute when an unlucky bounce for the Terps put the ball right on the foot of Mason's Emma Starr near the top of the 18-yard box. Starr had time, but rushed her shot and the ball sailed to the right of the goal.

Maryland had its first quality opportunity of the match in the 27th minute when Spivey made a nice run down the right alley. She caught up to a well-played ball and got a good strike on it, but the ball went into the outside of the netting.

George Mason was able to capitalize on a Maryland turnover in the Terrapins' defensive third of the field to net the game's first goal. Emily Harvey stole the ball from freshman Shannon Collins and slipped a pass between two Maryland defenders to Tiana Kallenberger, who finished with a one-timer into the lower left corner. 

But the Terps responded with some quick work by freshman Gabby Galanti, who checked into the game in the 37th minute to make her collegiate debut after missing the first three games due to an injury. Galanti didn't waste any time in picking up her first goal as Hodak found her with a pass and Galanti placed a shot outside the reach of the George Mason keeper to tie the match at 1-1 in the 39th minute.

Galanti's goal gave the Terps the momentum heading into halftime and they used that early in the second half to pressure the Patriots.

In the 46th minute, junior Hayley Brock received the ball, but her back was to the goal and a pair of defenders was at her back. So, she played a simple pass back to senior Beck Kaplan, who ripped a low shot from just outside the 18, but Patriot keeper Briana Kottler was in position to make the save and keep it a 1-1 game.

Maryland kept the pressure on George Mason and earned a corner kick in the 58th minute. Senior Olivia Wagner's initial corner was knocked out of the box by a Patriot defender, but Brock tracked it down and played it back to Wagner on the left side of the field. Wagner punched the ball back into the box where seniorDanielle Hubka got on the end of it and got off a solid header that hit off the top of the crossbar.

Kottler's ensuing goal kick was headed back toward the Patriot goal by Spivey right to the feet of Brock. She turned on her defender and created some open space to her left before slipping a pass through two defenders to Kaplan, who ripped a shot from 16 yards out into the lower right corner to give the Terps a 2-1 lead in the 59th minute.

The lead grew to 3-1 in the 65th minute when Hodak played a ball forward to freshman Alexis Prior-Brown. She moved it on for Spivey, who was making a run down the right alley. Spivey got to the ball before the Patriot defender could get there and with composure finished top shelf past Kottler.

The Terps weren't content to sit back and pack into their defensive third for the remainder of the match. Sophomore Shade Pratt used her speed to create some space and rip a shot that Kottler saved in the 81st minute.

Freshman Aubrey Baker nearly gave Maryland a three-goal cushion in the 82nd minute, but her shot from just outside the 18 went just over the upper right corner.

Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Rachelle Beanlands made three saves to pick up her second career win, while Kottler finished the match with five saves.

Overall, Maryland outshot George Mason, 17-10, and put eight of those 17 shots on goal compared to just four shots on goal for the Patriots.

"We now look forward to getting back home and playing on our home pitch Sunday against Towson," said Morgan. "These four road games have been a grind and it will be awesome to get back to Ludwig in front of our fans."

The Terrapins return to College Park to play their 2012 home opener vs. Towson Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m. at Ludwig Field as the first game of a women's-men's soccer doubleheader.