ELON, N.C. – Elon University women’s soccer returns to Rudd Field for the first time in two weeks on Sunday night, Sept. 2, to face off against the Richmond Spiders. The match is slated to kick off at 6 p.m.
YOUTH NIGHT
Calling all Soccer Moms! Come and bring your kids to watch Elon Women’s Soccer as the Phoenix takes on Richmond on YOUTH NIGHT! The Night will include a halftime relay race for moms and their daughters to participate. There will also be an autograph session with the Elon Women’s Soccer players after the match.
FOLLOW THE PHOENIX
Updates on the Phoenix’s matches against the Spiders will be provided on Twitter at the program’s handle, @ElonWSoccer. You can watch the action on online through Phoenix All-Access, or follow the match with live stats by clicking here.
LAST TIME OUT
– The Phoenix battled to its third draw of the season on Friday night against High Point as the match finished 0-0 at Vert Stadium. Elon dominated the match, outshooting the Panthers 25-12 overall, including 11-1 in the two overtime periods combined.
SERIES HISTORY
– Sunday’s match will be the third all-time meeting between the Phoenix and the Spiders as Elon leads the series 1-0-1 overall. Elon earned a narrow 2-1 victory last season on Sept. 7, 2017. The first meeting took place at Rudd Field on Sept. 11, 2016 and ended in a 3-3 draw.
HARKES, PARADOSKI EARN CAA WEEKLY HONORS
– Freshman midfielder Lily Harkes collected her first weekly honor with the CAA Rookie of the Week award on Monday, Aug. 27. She scored her first-career goal in Elon’s 1-1 draw against Western Carolina on Aug. 23.
– Junior forward Taylor Paradoski was named CAA Women’s Soccer Player of the Week on Monday, Aug. 20, after scoring three goals in Elon’s opening week. She tallied her first-career hat trick in Elon’s 5-4 overtime thriller at Liberty on Aug. 16. It’s Paradoski’s first-career CAA Player of the Week honor.
THE NEIL PAYNE ERA BEGINS
– Neil Payne begins his career as the head coach of the Elon University women’s soccer program after spending the last three seasons as the associate head coach at Texas Tech. He earned his first-career victory to open the season on Aug. 16, with an overtime win at Liberty.
– Prior to working with the Red Raiders, Payne spent 13 years as the Technical Director for Real Colorado and two years with Raleigh Express of the USL-A leage. The former Coastal Carolina standout also spent four seasons as an assistant coach at his alma mater, where the Chanticleers claimed back-to-back Big South regular season titles in his final two years.
ON THE BRINK OF 300
– The Elon University women’s soccer sits at 299 total victories since the program started in 1986. The Phoenix needs one win to reach the 300 as a program.
ABOUT ELON
– Payne inherits a Phoenix program that went 9-6-4 in 2017 and returns five of 11 starters from last year. Overall, 20 letterwinners from a season ago are back for Elon. The maroon and gold has also infused a group of 10 freshmen into the fold heading into the new season.
– The Phoenix is led by a four-member senior class of Tori Baliatico, Lauren McKeever, Jenny Riemer and Nyah Spearman. Elon also returns a 2017 All-CAA Rookie Team member in redshirt sophomore Hannah Doherty.
– Elon was picked to finish eighth in the 2018 CAA Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll.
SCOUTING RICHMOND
– Richmond comes into Sunday’s match seeking its first win of the season. The Spiders dropped its most recent match 3-0 against East Carolina on Friday. Marty Beall begins his first season with the Spiders after spending the last nine years as head coach at High Point.
– The Spiders were picked to finish 11th of 14 teams in the Atlantic 10 conference in the league’s 2018 Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll.
UP NEXT
The Phoenix returns to Rudd Field on Thursday, Sept. 6, to host the Charlotte 49ers at 7 p.m. The match will be shown live online through Phoenix All-Access.