Elon MSOC Phoenix Set to Face Cougars on Saturday

ELON, N.C. – The Elon University men’s soccer team will look to snap a five-match winless streak as the Phoenix hosts College of Charleston on Saturday night, Sept. 30, at Rudd Field. Kick off is currently scheduled for 7 p.m.

LIVE STATS

Follow @ElonMensSoccer
Fans can follow the Phoenix throughout the match on Twitter at the program’s handle @ElonMensSoccer. Other scores and updates will also be provided at the handle @elonscores.

Series History
Elon and College of Charleston will meet for the 19th time on the soccer pitch on Saturday. The Cougars hold a 11-6-1 ledger all-time over the Phoenix, but Elon is unbeaten in the last three contests including a 1-0 victory in double overtime the last time the programs played at Rudd Field in 2015. Last season, the maroon and gold earned a 1-1 draw in Mt. Pleasant, S.C., thanks to an equalizing goal from Tuki Tayali.

Last Time Out
Elon saw its eight-match unbeaten streak to start the season snapped at the hands of No. 15/14 UNCW on Wednesday, Sept. 27, in the result of a 2-1 setback. The Seahawks earned their first victory in the series against the Phoenix since 2004, snapping a five-game overall winless streak. Elon also allowed two goals in a match for the first time this season. Tayali scored the only goal of the game for the Phoenix in the 88th minute, but UNCW held on for the victory.

About Elon (3-1-5, 0-1-2 CAA)
Wednesday’s loss versus UNCW kept the Phoenix with two points in league and falling to sixth in the current league standings. Elon is one of five teams in the CAA that has yet to win a league game, but has a chance to make up some ground with Charleston, William & Mary, Northeastern, Drexel and Delaware remaining on its conference schedule.

During the first eight outings of the season, the Phoenix defense has been stellar, posting an opponent scoreless streak of over 480 minutes in that time. Despite its setback to the Seahawks on Wednesday, Elon still leads the league in fewest goals allowed (four), goals-against average (0.44) and shutouts (six). Keeper Matthew Jegier needs one more shutout to take sole possession of second all-time in school history in career shutouts. The Charlotte, N.C., native is currently tied with former Elon and current Toronto FC netminder Clint Irwin ’11 with 22 career clean sheets.

Tayali became the sixth different member of the squad to score a goal for the Phoenix this season. The London, England, native scored his goal off a Billy Beresford assist, his first of the season. Beresford became the fifth different player to tally an assist for Elon this season, who has scored only nine goals so far this year. The Phoenix is also averaging 9.2 shots per match with 33 of those coming on frame.

Scouting College of Charleston (2-5-1, 0-1-1 CAA)
The Cougars head into Saturday’s match also on a five-match winless streak after losing versus Georgia State 1-0 on Tuesday, Sept. 26. Their last win came on Sept. 3, at Florida International in the form of a 1-0 result in overtime. CofC was picked to be tied for sixth in the 2017 CAA Preseason poll after coming off a 6-9-3 record in 2016.

CofC has scored only seven goals so far this season and is averaging 11.9 shots per match. About 28 of those shots have come on frame for the Cougars, who are led offensively by Leland Archer and Tucker Heffron with their two goals each. Cornell Holland has a team-best two assists for the Cougars, nearly half of their overall team total of five.

Opponents against the Cougars are averaging 1.25 goals per match on 8.6 shots per contest. Of those shots, 30 of them have come on goal at .435 percent. Kevin Shields has played every minute in goal for CofC, posting a GAA of 1.19 with 19 saves and three shutouts.

Up Next
Elon takes a step outside of league play as the Phoenix heads to Durham, N.C., for a matchup at Duke. That game is scheduled for a 7 p.m. kickoff.