Despite failing to qualify for the Atlantic 10 tournament a year after winning it, the GW men’s soccer team was determined to end the season with some excitement.

Three second-half goals in less than three minutes gave the Colonials a 3-0 victory over La Salle.

” It feels amazing,” senior tri-captain Matt Miller said. “We came in knowing we were going to win the game. And there were very few things that were going to happen that were going to make us lose. We played really hard, everyone played … We held our own. We did everything we had to do.”

The scoreless first half ended after 45 minutes of evenly matched play. The Colonials registered five shots compared to the Explorers’ seven.

With the second half came Colonial domination. In the 52nd minute, senior Frank Ambrosio sent a kick flying into the box that La Salle senior Jim Bradley accidentally knocked in.

After the goal, a fight broke out between senior Andre Chapman, whom Ambrosio’s pass was aimed for, and Bradley. The confrontation turned into a brawl between the two teams, and Bradley and Chapman were each given a red card, ending both their collegiate careers.

Two minutes after the commotion from the fight died down, Ambrosio assisted sophomore Abimbola Pedro. Then, 20 seconds later, junior Arturo Pedroso found a wide open Pedro 40 yards from the goal. Pedro dribbled in, past La Salle goalie Andrew Bernhard, who had come out of goal, and sent the ball into the middle of the net.

The Colonials controlled play the remainder of the game, with the seniors enjoying their final minutes of their collegiate soccer careers together.

“It was great finishing with all the guys that have been together for four years,” senior tri-captain Trevor Martin said.

The win gave GW a final record of 6-8-3 and 3-5-1 in the A-10. La Salle, meanwhile, ends its season at 6-9-4 and 3-4-2. The loss to the Colonials also eliminated the Explorers from the A-10 tournament.

“It was a great way to finish,” GW coach George Lidster said. “I was so pleased with the seniors. We knew it was going to be a hard-fought game because La Salle had to win to go through to the (A-10 tournament). The guys stood up and played really well and it was a great way to finish the season.”