Fabio Andrade scored the first of three GW goals over a 10-minute span, lifting the men’s soccer team 5-2 over the Virginia Military Institute at the Mount Vernon field Thursday.

After taking a 2-0 lead with goals by senior Matt Pilkington and junior Matthew Osborne, GW found itself knotted in a 2-2 tie in the second half. VMI’s Garrett Brickner knocked in a free kick from the top of the box at the 58-minute mark.

Two minutes later, Austin Williams knocked a pass from Daniel Whitehall from the top of the box passed GW goalkeeper Nick Parypinski, who had players blinding his field vision.

Early on, it looked like the 75 people in attendance would see a quick GW victory.

Pilkington scored the first of his two goals at the 25-minute mark. Andrade fed Pilkington a pass, and he broke passed the VMI defense. From close range, Pilkington beat VMI goalkeeper John Simmons to give the Colonials a 1-0 lead. GW scored its second goal in the second half when Osborne received a pass off a combination from Michael Goldman and Kirk Lewis.

VMI then surged back and with 20 minutes remaining, GW scored three goals in 10 minutes, making the home opener memorable.

Andrade scored first at the 73-minute mark, lifting GW 3-2.

Pilkington scored his second goal of the game diving into a pass and heading it by Simmons. Robert Kirchner and Sean Ross assisted on the play.

Two minutes later, Kirk Lewis scored his first goal of the season with a close-range shot, lifting GW to a 5-2 lead. Arnar Johannsson made the assist.

GW’s Parypinski made four saves on 10 shots, and GW fired 23 shots at VMI’s Simmons. GW’s defense held VMI to just 10 goals.