Elon WSOC Phoenix Set to Host Charlotte on Thursday

ELON, N.C. – Elon University women’s soccer continues a stretch of four games at home on Thursday, Sept. 6, with a matchup against in-state foe Charlotte. The matchup between the Phoenix and 49ers will kick off at 7 p.m. on Rudd Field.

GAME NOTES

GREEK LIFE NIGHT
Calling all Elon University sororities and fraternities! The organization who sends out the biggest crowd of students will be able to set up a table to fundraise for their philanthropy at the beginning of each soccer match the rest of the season. Additionally, there will be FREE t-shirts for the first 100 students in attendance.

FOLLOW THE PHOENIX
Updates on the Phoenix’s match against the 49ers 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 earned the program’s 300th all-time win with a 2-0 victory over Richmond on Sunday, Sept. 2, on Rudd Field. Both Carson Jones and Ashley Rumley scored for Elon. Valentina Estrada collected her second straight shutout in goal, making two key saves for the Phoenix.

SERIES HISTORY
– Thursday night’s match will be the fifth meeting all-time between the two sides. Charlotte currently leads the series 3-1. The 49ers earned a 2-1 overtime victory in the last meeting on Sept. 8, 2016 in Charlotte. Elon’s last win came at Rudd Field on Sept. 20, 2015 by a 4-2 scoreline.

ESTRADA, HARKES, PARADOSKI EARN CAA WEEKLY HONORS
– Sophomore goalkeeper Valentina Estrada was named CAA Defensive Player of the Week on Monday, Sept. 3, after posting two shutouts against High Point and Richmond in Elon’s 1-0-1 week. She also earned Honorable Mention honors on TopDrawerSoccer.com’s Team of the Week, announced on Sept. 4.
– 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.

WIN NUMBER 300
– The Elon University women’s soccer won its 300th match as a program with Sunday’s 2-0 victory over Richmond on Sept. 2. In its 32nd season as a program, the Phoenix started competing as a varsity program in 1986.

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 CHARLOTTE
– Charlotte head coach John Cullen earned his 100th win as 49ers head coach on Sunday with a 3-0 victory over ETSU. The 49ers also earned victories against Akron (1-0) and Longwood (1-0) this season.
– The 49ers were picked to finish third in the 2018 C-USA Preseason Coaches Poll. Megan Greene earned Preseason All-Conference honors.

UP NEXT
The Phoenix will be back on Rudd Field on Monday night, Sept. 10, to host the Radford Highlanders. The match will kick off at 7 p.m. and will be broadcasted online through Phoenix All-Access.