Box Score

ELON, N.C. – The Elon men’s soccer team battled back from an early two-goal deficit, but could not get the go-ahead score as the Phoenix played the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers to a 2-2 draw at Rudd Field on Sunday afternoon. Elon (2-2-2) is now unbeaten in its last four games as it opens Southern Conference play next Friday night at Davidson. Coastal moved to 3-2-1 overall this season.

“It is never easy to come back from two goals down early in a contest,” said Elon head coach Darren Powell. “A good strike from Hunter Miller at the end of the first half gave new energy to our team and we were able to come back and tie the game. Again, either team could have won and we just have to learn from these experiences to help prepare for future games.”

Elon had some great early chances on goal, including a bullet by Glenn Scott that went straight at the Coastal keeper following a Phoenix corner kick in the opening 10 minutes of the contest. Minutes later Gabe Latigue sent a perfect pass forward to Chris Thomas but his header went just high of the goal. Midway through the half, Denzel Ogunyase nearly put Elon on the board off a throw-in from Scott down the left side of the field, but the ball was blocked away.

Coastal took advantage of Elon’s missed opportunities and controlled play for about a 10-minute span in the first half. In the 31st minute, Pedro Ribeiro sent a long cross from the right side of the field to the far post where Sebastian Bahos knocked in his second goal of the year to the opposite corner of the net.

Nine minutes later, the Chanticleers built on their lead. Kristoffer Sandtroen served a ball into the middle of the box from the right side where Joe Anderson headed in the short shot past a diving Clint Irwin to give the visitors the 2-0 advantage.

Elon managed to trim the deficit in half before the break when senior Hunter Miller’s shot deflected off a defender and sailed over the fingertips of Coastal goalie Scott Angevine at 43:32.

It didn’t take long in the second half for Elon to tie the game. Rookie Daniel Lovitz sent an Elon corner to the far post and Thomas cleaned up the loose ball in the box to make it a 2-2 game. The score was Thomas’ second of the weekend and fourth of the year.

With about 20 minutes to play, it was Lovitz again with service into the box, finding the head of Latigue. Angevine made a good save and the game stayed knotted at two. Thomas had another chance with about 16 minutes remaining in regulation, but a diving save by Angevine kept Elon from getting the go-ahead score.

Both teams were playing their second game in three days so fatigue set in as regulation wound down. Neither team had many opportunities in the extra minutes with the most notable chance being a rocket from Coastal’s Ribeiro that went just wide midway through the first extra session.

It was an evenly played match with Elon holding the slight 17-16 edge in shots and both teams taking seven corner kicks. Irwin made six saves in the contest and Angevine stopped five Phoenix shots.

Elon will get into Southern Conference play next Saturday when it travels to Davidson for a rematch of last year’s overtime thriller that featured a golden goal by Phoenix midfielder Brad Franks. The kick is scheduled for 7 p.m.