Elon MSOC Phoenix Set for Home Opener Against Charlotte

ELON, N.C. – After opening on the road for its first four matches of the season, the Elon University men’s soccer team is slated for its 2018 home opener versus Charlotte on Tuesday, Sept. 11, at Rudd Field. That match is scheduled for a 7 p.m. kickoff.

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Updates of the match on Tuesday will be provided on Twitter at the program’s handle @ElonMSoccer. The game will also be streamed on Phoenix All-Access at elonphoenix.com.

Hometown Heroes Night
The program will be hosting “Hometown Hero Night” for the match, recognizing some of the local police officers, firefighters and military members of the community. A free t-shirt will be given out to the first 100 fans that attend the match.

Series History
Elon and Charlotte will tussle on the soccer pitch for the 12th time in the series on Tuesday. The 49ers lead the all-time series at 7-3-1, but the Phoenix has a current two-match unbeaten streak versus its intrastate foe. Last season, the maroon and gold earned a 1-1 draw at Charlotte and took a 2-0 victory against the then sixth-ranked 49ers the last time both programs met in Elon in 2012.

Opening Stanza
• The Phoenix is receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches poll for the first time this season on Tuesday, Sept. 4. It’s the first time that Elon has been receiving votes in the coaches’ poll since last season.
• Elon sits second in the nation in scoring offense at 3.25 goals per match. It also ranks fourth overall in the country in points per game at 8.75.
• After the release of the most recent United Soccer Coaches Top-25 rankings last Tuesday, five of the Phoenix’s 18 regular-season opponents are either ranked or receiving votes in the coaches’ poll. That number includes three teams currently ranked in the top-10 (No. 2 Duke, No. 8 UNCW and No. 10 Virginia).
• The Phoenix defeated High Point 2-1 in its most recent contest this past Saturday, Sept. 8, in High Point, N.C. Asger Hausted Andersen and Luke Matthews scored for the Phoenix, with Matthews providing the game-winner.
• The goals for Hausted Andersen and Matthews were the first of the season for the duo. Overall, Elon has had nine players account for at least one goal this season and has 13 on the year so far – only five shy of its 2017 total.
• Redshirt junior forward Iñigo Bronte was tabbed as the Colonial Athletic Association’s Player of the Week last Monday, Sept. 3, after his hat trick versus Rutgers on Sunday, Sept. 2. He also had an assist in that match and currently leads the Phoenix with seven points.
• Bronte became the third Phoenix player in as many seasons to net a hat trick with his outing versus the Scarlet Knights. Tuki Tayali accomplished the feat last season versus Northeastern while Elijah Agu also did the same against St. Bonaventure in 2016.
• The win at High Point was the 85th in the career of Phoenix second-year head coach Marc Reeves. Prior to Elon, Reeves had won 75 games during his seven-year helm as the head coach at Radford from 2010-2016.

Last Time Out
Elon earned its third straight victory overall with a 2-1 victory at fellow Piedmont Triad rival High Point on Saturday, Sept. 8. The win pushed the Phoenix’s unbeaten streak to five over the Panthers including two straight victories.

High Point netted the first goal of the match inside the 19th minute to take a 1-0 lead, but the advantage was short-lived. Hausted Andersen leveled the match at one-all after dribbling the length of the field and finishing near the far left post.

The Phoenix would score the eventual game-winner in the 40th minute. After Elon forced a corner kick, Matthews would head in his first goal of the season on the set piece to put the Phoenix ahead 2-1. The game would end in that score as the maroon and gold improved to 3-1 on the year while handing the Panthers (4-1) their first defeat of 2018.

Matthew Jegier played all 90 minutes in goal and had a season-high three saves on the match for Elon.

Scouting Charlotte
The 49ers come into the match at 2-1 on the season after suffering their first setback of the year at Old Dominion last Friday, Sept. 7, 2-1. Prior to that match, Charlotte was also receiving votes in the United Soccer Association poll and was tabbed to finish second in the 2018 Conference USA Preseason poll.

Tommy Madden leads the 49ers in goals, points and shots on goal. His eleven shots rank fourth in C-USA. Four different 49ers have recorded an assist this season in Joe Brito, Teddy Chaouche, Dean Rutherford and Daniel Bruce all having helper to their stat line.

The loss to Old Dominion marked the first time this season that an opponent has scored on the 49ers’ defense. Netminder Elliot Panicco has played every minute in goal this season and has a goals-against average of 0.67 along with four saves and a pair of shutouts.

Up Next
Elon is back on the road to make a 20-minute trip to Greensboro, N.C., to take on another longtime rival, UNCG, on Saturday, Sept. 15. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at the UNCG Soccer Stadium.