Box Score

ELON, N.C. – Despite holding a 1-0 halftime lead, the Elon University women’s soccer team dropped a heartbreaker in its regular season finale to the No. 16 ranked UNC Greensboro Spartans, as the Phoenix fell, 2-1, on Thursday night at Rudd Field.

With the loss, Elon (11-7-1, 6-5 Southern Conference) earns the No. 5 seed in the 2010 SoCon Tournament and will take on No. 4 seeded College of Charleston on Sunday, Oct. 31, at 1 p.m. in Charleston, S.C.

Freshman Chelsey Stark registered Elon’s lone goal of the contest, netting her sixth goal of the season in the first minute of the game to give the Phoenix a 1-0 advantage.

Elon held its 1-0 lead at the half, but the Spartans (16-1-1, 11-0 SoCon) scored goals in the 54th and 63rd minutes of the second half to down the Phoenix and finish the regular season unbeaten in SoCon play.

“There’s no doubt that UNC Greensboro is a very good team, but we had several chances tonight and just couldn’t make the most of it,” said Elon head women’s soccer coach Chris Neal. “Their goalkeeper made three saves and ours made two and that made the difference in the game tonight.”

Stark put Elon on top in the first minute of the match, as her tap-in inside the box on the far side from Brittany Hallberg gave the Phoenix a 1-0 edge. Stark's score marked Elon’s first goal against UNCG since the 2004 season.

The Phoenix held on to its 1-0 edge at intermission, marking the first time this season the Spartans have trailed at the half.

But the Spartans tied it in the 54th minute, as a strike by Jenn Partenheimer from inside the box landed in the top left corner of the net past keeper Kristen Haney to make it a 1-1 match.

UNCG claimed its first lead of the match in the 63rd minute after Lauren Hein’s strike from the middle of the box rolled past Haney to give the Spartans a 2-1 lead, one they would not relinquish down the stretch.

Elon nearly tied it in the 85th with a booming strike from Stark from just outside of the box, but UNCG keeper Kelsey Kearney made a jumping save to knock the ball over the top of the crossbar to allow UNCG to keep the lead.

Elon was outshot, 8-4, in the loss, marking the first time since Sept. 24 that the Phoenix registered less shots than its opponent.

Following the first round of the SoCon Tournament, the final four teams will head to Cullowhee, N.C. on Friday, Nov. 5, to play the semifinals and championship (Nov. 7).

October 31 (Sunday)
SoCon Women’s Soccer Championship
First Round (at higher seeds)
#5 Elon at #4 College of Charleston - 1 p.m.
#6 Furman at #3 The Citadel - 2 p.m.
#8 Wofford at #1 UNCG - 2 p.m.
#7 Davidson at #2 Samford - 7 p.m.
 
November 5 (Friday)
SoCon Women’s Soccer Championship at Cullowhee, N.C.
UNCG-Wofford winner vs. College of Charleston-Elon winner - 5 p.m.
Samford-Davidson winner vs. The Citadel-Furman winner - 7:30 p.m.
 
November 7 (Sunday)
SoCon Women’s Soccer Championship at Cullowhee, N.C.
Championship Match - 1 p.m.