Box Score

GREENSBORO, N.C. – A rocket off the foot of sophomore Gabe Latigue caught just enough of the far post and ricocheted into the net to give the Elon men’s soccer team a 1-0 double overtime victory over the host UNC Greensboro Spartans in Saturday night Southern Conference action. Playing in its fourth overtime contest of the season, Elon finally earned the result to improve to 4-2-3 on the season and 2-0-0 in league action. UNCG dropped to 4-5-1 overall and 0-1-0 in the SoCon.

“This was a very tough match against a much improved UNCG team,” commented Elon men’s soccer head coach Darren Powell. “It took a great strike from Gabe to win and secure three points in conference play. Now we have to go back and get ready for nationally-ranked West Virginia on Wednesday night at Rudd Field.”

Despite numerous chances by both teams, the game was still scoreless in the waning minutes of the final overtime period. In the 107th minute, senior midfielder Brad Franks shoved a short pass to Latigue on the right side who blasted the shot to the left post from about 25 yards out, giving Elon its third straight win over the Spartans.

Neither team was able to find the back of the net in the first half. UNC Greensboro was on the attack early, forcing Elon keeper Clint Irwin to handle several challenging crosses and make four saves in the first 45 minutes of action. Midway through the period, UNCG’s Hakan Ilhan fired a left-footed shot from the top the box, but Irwin dove left to make the stop.

Elon managed to shift some momentum in the final 20 minutes of the half and get some looks on goal. Latigue rocketed a shot from about 22 yards out on the right side of the field, but Spartan keeper Peyton Ford was there for the stop. Less than a minute later, rookie midfielder Daniel Lovitz took a shot from nearly the same spot that was blocked away by a UNCG defender.

The Phoenix’s best chance of the half came off a corner kick in the 36th minute. Lovitz served a ball to the near side of the box where Nick Butterly’s header ricocheted off the crossbar.

Elon opened the second half on the attack as two near misses by forward Chris Thomas almost put the Phoenix on top. In the first five minutes, Franks sent long service from the right side to Thomas who was one-on-one with his defender in the box. The sophomore got a foot on the ball on two separate occasions but his shots went just wide of the goal.

Irwin came up big in the 53rd minute when Eli Garner sent a bullet on goal from the top of the box. The Phoenix keeper soared to punch away the UNCG threat.

With under 20 minutes to play, Elon threatened again. Franks came up the left side of the field and sent a through ball into the box in hopes of finding Thomas again. Ford was there to cover the ball before Thomas could get a foot on it.

Latigue nearly matched his long free kick goal from the Davidson contest with 15 minutes to play. Ford managed to get a hand on the shot from about 22-yards out and tip it over the goal.

UNCG countered a few minutes later when Ross Burki got ahead of his defender and sent a blast at Irwin from about 10 yards out. The goalie saved it and the short rebound shot from Michael Bonilla went wide of the net.

With just three minutes remaining in regulation, Elon attacked down the left side of the field. Thomas passed the ball in the middle of the box for Franks who overstepped the ball but flipped it out to Denzel Ogunyase who sent the chip shot high of the net and the game remained scoreless.

UNCG had the best opportunity in the first overtime in the final two minutes of the session. A Spartan corner kick led to a header by Ilhan that went just wide of the goal.

Before the score in the final overtime, Franks fed a ball to Latigue in the middle of Elon’s offensive third. Latigue sent the ball wide left for an oncoming Lovitz. Lovitz fired a shot that Ford managed to get a touch on as it went just wide of the post.

Elon ended the game with a 20-14 advantage in shots. Irwin made seven stops in his 22nd career shutout.

The Phoenix returns home to battle No. 21 West Virginia on Wednesday, Oct. 6 at 7 p.m.