ELON, N.C. – Wofford handed #20 Elon its first Southern Conference loss of the season with a 4-3 overtime victory at Rudd Field on Tuesday. The loss snapped the Phoenix’s (8-3-1, 2-1 SoCon) six match unbeaten streak despite two goals from junior midfielder Matt Wescoe.
The Terriers’ (8-4, 2-0 SoCon) Carlos Dominguez Gonzalez had three goals in the match, but it was a Nestor Jaramillo golden goal from 18 yards out in the 94th minute that made the difference.
Both teams went into the half tied at 1-1 after Elon defender Nick Butterly tied the match off a header from a James Brace corner in the 33rd minute. It was the junior’s first goal of the season.
Elon would take a 2-1 advantage on a Wescoe clean up of a Brace shot inside the box in the 54th minute. Brace fired a shot that was blocked by Wofford keeper Andrew Drennan before Wescoe followed with the rebound.
Dominguez Gonzalez would add the equalizer in the 68th minute on a header from a cross from 15-17 yards getting it past Elon keeper Nathan Dean. The sophomore would later add the hat trick with another strike in the 80th minute to give the Terriers a 3-2 lead.
With time ticking away, the maroon and gold scrambled to tie the game. Samuel McBride found a streaking Wescoe coming down the left side of the box after drawing the keeper away. Wescoe knocked in the equalizer for his second goal of the match.
The Phoenix had a couple of opportunities down the stretch of regulation to win the match, but shots by Daniel Lovitz and Gabe Latigue were either blocked or long and both teams went into an extra session.
Elon had the first opportunity to put the game away with Miguel Salazar firing a shot from 10-12 yards in the 92nd minute, but Drennan corralled the ball.
After racing back down the field, the Terriers reset the ball with Jaramillo who then fired a bending shot past Dean in the back right corner of the net for his second goal of the year.
Elon outshot Wofford 15-13 and had a 7-5 advantage on corner kicks. Dean played every minute between the posts and had four saves while Drennan corralled three.
The Phoenix will travel to Georgia Southern on Friday to take on the Eagles. That match is scheduled to kick off at 3 p.m.