"I thought our guys played hard until the
final whistle against a very talented Carolina team," commented Elon head
coach Darren Powell. "We just have to keep learning from these big games
in preparation for the final push of the year."
Both squads came out of the gates firing, with each team getting solid looks
at the net. In the third minute of action, Elon senior Erfan Imeni rocketed a
left-footed shot from about 18 yards out but it sailed just high of the net.
Shortly after, rookie Chris Thomas nearly put Elon on the board, but his header
ricocheted off the cross bar. The ball deflected back into the field of play, directly
to the foot of senior Justin Wyatt. Wyatt’s attempt off the deflection went
right at UNC keeper Scott Goodwin who was there to make the stop.
Midway through the opening half, UNC’s Michael Farfan had a chance to
put the Heels on top, but his shot from the right side glanced of the near post
and out of bounds. With less than four minutes remaining in the period, Schuler
got his first score of the game, dribbling through the defense in the box and
blasting his sixth goal of the season to the middle of the net from about 12
yards out.
Schuler cushioned the Carolina advantage in the 60th minute.
Possessing the ball deep on the left side of the field, Schuler slid a low shot
along the edge of the goal line to the far post to give UNC the 2-0 lead at
59:20.
Elon managed to cut the lead in half in the 75th minute.
Imeni centered the ball to James Carroll in the middle of Elon’s offensive
third. Carroll served the ball to the right side where Thomas lofted his
team-leading eighth goal of the season over Goodwin into the far corner at
74:42.
The score ignited the Phoenix as the home team aimed for the equalizer
during the remaining minutes of the contest. The UNC back line cleared away any
Elon threat to secure the 2-1 victory.
North Carolina outshot Elon 22-9 and held an 8-0 advantage in corner
kicks. Phoenix goalie Clint Irwin posted nine saves in the contest while
Goodwin corralled three Elon attempts.
Elon will face Southern Conference rival UNC Greensboro on Saturday,
November 7 at Rudd Field. The Phoenix will honor seven seniors prior to the game’s
kick at 7 p.m.
-- ELON --