ELON, N.C. – Elon University women’s soccer plays its first match on the road since Aug. 31 when it faces reigning 2017 CAA Champion the Northeastern Huskies on Sunday, Oct. 7, at 1 p.m. at Parsons Field.
FOLLOW THE PHOENIX
Updates on the Phoenix’s match against the Huskies will be provided on Twitter at the program’s handle, @ElonWSoccer. You can watch the action on online on CAA.tv, or follow the match with live stats by clicking here.
LAST TIME OUT
– The Phoenix earned its first victory in conference play on Sunday, Sept. 30, with a 2-0 win over Towson on Senior Day. Taylor Paradoski and Kate McKay scored for Elon in the second half to secure the win.
– Paradoski’s team-best fourth goal of the season came in the 60th minute to give the Phoenix a 1-0 lead. McKay then tallied her first-career goal for the Phoenix in the 67th minute to help secure the win.
SERIES HISTORY
– Northeastern has the upper hand with a 2-0-2 lead on the Phoenix in the all-time series. Elon has earned two draws in its last three meetings against the Huskies since both teams began the series when the Phoenix joined the CAA in 2014.
– Last season, Elon earned a point in a thrilling 3-3 draw on Oct. 8, 2017, at Rudd Field. Current senior Lauren McKeever got on the scoresheet for the Phoenix to help the team earn a draw against the Huskies.
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 NORTHEASTERN
– The Huskies enter Sunday’s contest unbeaten in CAA play as they boast a 5-0-0 mark in league action. Northeastern has beaten UNCW and James Madison at home, while earning road wins at Delaware, Towson and Hofstra.
– Hannah Rosenblatt is the team’s leading scorer with seven goals this season. Mikenna McManus has a team-best six assists for the defending CAA Champions.
– Ashley Phillips is in her third season as head coach of the Huskies and boasts a 35-19-5 overall record. She earned her first conference title and NCAA Tournament appearance as a head coach last season in 2017.
UP NEXT
Elon continues its road swing on Thursday, Oct. 11, with a matchup at William & Mary. The contest at Martin Family Stadium will kick off at 7 p.m. on CAA.tv.