Elon Men’s Soccer Hosts Bonnies and Titans in Elon/High Point Classic

ELON, N.C. – Hosting its first home tournament since 2010, the Elon University men’s soccer team welcomes St. Bonaventure and Detroit to Rudd Field this weekend for the Elon/High Point Classic. The tournament kicks off with the Phoenix’s home opener against the Bonnies on Friday, Sept. 2, at 7 p.m.

The maroon and gold concludes the tournament against the Titans on Sunday, Sept. 4, at 7 p.m.

Follow @ElonMensSoccer
Fans can follow the Phoenix throughout the tournament for updates this weekend on Twitter at the program’s handle @ElonMensSoccer. Other scores and updates will also be provided at the handle @elonscores. Both of Elon’s matches will be streamed live on Phoenix All-Access with John Roddey and Jenny Berman on the call for both games.

Series Histories
Elon will face both St. Bonaventure and Detroit for the first time ever on the soccer pitch. The last time the Phoenix hosted a home tournament came in 2010 with games versus both Richmond and Jacksonville. Elon defeated the Spiders, 4-0, before settling for a 1-1 draw versus the Dolphins in the finale. Former Phoenix and current Toronto FC netminder Clint Irwin ’11 became the program’s all-time shutout leader against Richmond with 20 career clean sheets (a record since broken by Nathan Dean ‘14).

John Rennie Nike Invitational Recap
Elon split both its matches in its opening weekend at the John Rennie Nike Invitational hosted by Duke University. The Phoenix began the 2016 season with a 4-1 victory over UNC Asheville with Elijah Agu knotting two goals in the contest. Nicholas O’Callaghan and Austin Hill also scored for the Phoenix in the match with Hill achieving his first collegiate goal in his first game. Elon however fell to San Diego in its tournament finale, 2-1, despite Nick Adamczyk scoring his first collegiate goal in the contest for the maroon and gold. At the conclusion of the tournament, Agu and junior Jonathan Coleby were both selected to the all-tournament team.

Preseason Prognosticators

The Colonial Athletic Association announced its 2016 preseason coaches’ poll with the Phoenix earning 48 points for a third place predicted finish. Hofstra, who shared the CAA regular-season title with Phoenix last season, was tabbed as the league favorite with 64 points including eight first place votes. Delaware received 55 points for second place behind the Pride after falling to Hofstra in the CAA Tournament final last year.

About Elon
Despite going 1-1 this past weekend, Elon was the more active team during both of its matches. The Phoenix averaged 18 shots per match while tallying 13 shots on goals. Elon also had 15 corner kicks compared to four for the opposition and had six total assists between the two games which is tied for eighth in the nation.

Elon had 12 different players attempt at least one shot with 11 of those boasting multiple shots. Agu is the leading scorer with four points on his team-high two goals while Adamczyk, Hill and O’Callaghan all have two points with one goal. Sophomore Marcel Fahrenholz also has two points off his team-high two assists and is one of five players with at least one helper.

Defensively, Elon is allowing nine shots a contest to opponents with seven total coming on target. Keeper Matthew Jegier played all 180 minutes between goal during the opening weekend has four saves on the year.

About St. Bonaventure
St. Bonaventure is 0-1-1 on the young 2016 season after falling at Hartwick 3-0 in its season opener and battling to a 1-1 draw versus Bucknell last weekend. Members of the Atlantic 10 conference, the Bonnies are led by second-year head coach Kwame Oduro and return 18 players from the 2015 campaign.

The Bonnies are averaging only 8.5 shots per match with seven total coming on goal this season. St. Bonaventure have only one goal this season with Kieran Toland providing the lone score on a penalty kick. He is also tied for the team-lead in shots with three. Sophomore Kosi Nwafornso was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie team last season after pacing the team with four goals in his freshman campaign.

Scouting Detroit
The Titans, 0-1-1 this season after a scoreless draw at Pittsburgh and a 3-1 loss against Marshall during their opening weekend, are led by seventh-year head coach Nicholas Deren. A member of the Horizon League, Detroit Mercy was picked to finish seventh in the league’s 2016 preseason poll after coming off a 7-5-8 record a season ago.

Detroit Mercy brings back several top players from last season’s squad including its top two scorers in senior Tyler Moorman and junior Spiro Pliakos. Both were All-Horizon League players in 2015 and shared the team lead with 14 points each. As a team offensively, the Titans has scored only one goal this season and are averaging only seven shots per contest.

Up Next
Elon begins a four-game road swing with an early CAA match versus College of Charleston on Sept. 10. That game is slated for a 7 p.m. kickoff.