ELON, N.C. – After two scoreless halves, the Elon Phoenix found itself on the wrong end of a 1-0 overtime loss to the visiting North Carolina State Wolfpack at Rudd Field on Friday night. NC State picked up the victory with an own goal early in the extra time to improve to 4-1-2 on the season. The disappointing defeat dropped Elon, who was playing its third consecutive ACC opponent, to 2-4-1.
Despite being outshot 10-1 in the first half, Elon found itself heading into halftime in a scoreless tie as both teams only managed one shot on goal in the stanza.
The Phoenix came out of the lockerroom and applied early pressure in the second half, getting off the only two shots of the first five minutes of the period. The Wolfpack answered back, but Elon’s Lizz Johnson made five stellar saves in the half to keep the game scoreless. Elon put two shots on frame in the period.
Just 56 seconds into overtime, the Wolfpack earned a corner kick. Katie Ruiz sent the ball across the frame and off the head of a teammate to a waiting Elon defender who was unable to clear the ball and deposited the winning score in her own goal.
Johnson stopped seven shots on the night, playing the entire 91:27 while her counterpart, Sydney Little, grabbed three saves to earn the shutout.
A physical game, the two squads combined for 32 fouls while NC State edged Elon in corner kicks (7-2), shots (21-5) and shots on goal (8-3).
Elon will visit Kennesaw State in a 2:00 p.m. start on Sunday afternoon for its next contest.
– ELON –
