Elon WSOC Welcomes Radford to Rudd Field on Monday

ELON, N.C. – Elon University women’s soccer returns to Rudd Field for another non-conference matchup on Monday night, Sept. 10, hosting the Radford Highlanders at 7 p.m.

STUDENT NIGHT
It’s Student Night at Rudd Field on Monday! Get your week started with some FREE PIZZA! There will also be an opportunity for Elon University students to win free Elon Gear during halftime competition!

FOLLOW THE PHOENIX
Updates on the Phoenix’s match against the Highlanders 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 dropped its second match of the season falling 2-0 to Charlotte on Thursday, Sept. 6 at Rudd Field. Valentina Estrada highlighted the evening with a penalty save in the second half. The 49ers scored a goal in each half to secure the win.

SERIES HISTORY
– Monday’s matchup with be the 11th all-time meeting between the two sides. Radford has the slight 7-3 edge in the series. This will be the first meeting in 16 years as the Highlanders earned a 2-1 victory in the last matchup on Sept. 20, 2002.

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 RADFORD
– The Highlanders are currently on a three-match winning streak after beating App State 2-0 on Saturday night. Radford has also picked up wins against Mount St. Mary’s and Wofford this season. Jessica Wollmann lead the way with a team-high four goals for the Highlanders.
– Radford was picked to finish 4th in the 2018 Big South Preseason Coaches Poll and received 2 first-place votes, the 2nd most in the league.

UP NEXT
The Phoenix completes its four-match homestand on Friday, Sept. 14, facing the Davidson Wildcats on Rudd Field. The match will kick off at 7 p.m.