Box Score

ELON, N.C. – The Elon men’s soccer team managed to overcome a two-goal deficit and force overtime, but the 11th-ranked Old Dominion Monarchs came away with the victory behind the golden goal of Yannick Smith in the 94th minute of action under steady rainfall at Rudd Field on Saturday night. The goal was Smith’s second of the evening and helped the Monarchs remain an unbeaten 4-0-0 on the season. The loss dropped the Phoenix to 2-4-1 overall.

Elon rookie Tommy Allen got his first collegiate goal, an important one for the Phoenix as the equalizer came in the 89th minute and sent the game into an extra session. Elon had been pounding at the goal the entire second half, outshooting the visitors 12-6 in the final 45 minutes. The Phoenix held a 19-11 advantage in the shot column for the game.

Allen’s goal came after a throw-in deep in Elon’s offensive third of the field. The ball was being knocked around in the box and the freshman managed to rocket a shot from about 12 yards out into the middle of the net.

Minutes into the extra session, Old Dominion possessed the ball at midfield where Chris Harmon sent a pass to the left side of the box. Smith shot past his defender and diving keeper Reed Dillard, the ball bouncing off the inside of the near post and into the net for the game-winner.

“We played very well tonight,” commented Elon head coach Darren Powell. “I thought we showed great character to get back in the game against, in our opinion, one of the top teams in the country. We feel we are progressing and hope it shows over the next couple of weeks. We need to get back to work to prepare for a tough Radford team next weekend.”

After a quiet start to the game, Elon nearly struck with under 16 minutes showing on the clock in the first half. Midfielder Gabe Latigue’s long attempt from the left side clanged off the cross bar and his rebound attempt sailed wide of the net.

With under eight minutes to play before the break, Elon’s Danny Lovitz served a beautiful corner kick to the far post, finding the head of Austen King. King headed it to the middle of the net where an ODU defender was in perfect position to block it away. The header was one of several by King on the evening.

Despite having only four first-half shots, Old Dominion found the back of the net in the 40th minute. A speedy Gideon Asante gathered the ball on the left side of the box, dribbled and tucked in a strike from about 13 yards out to the far side of the net.

The Monarchs fed off the momentum to begin the second period when Smith netted his first goal of the evening in the 49th minute. Dillard was unable to corral Smith’s first shot and the ODU striker was there for the rebound and the Monarch 2-0 advantage.

Elon wasn’t discouraged and controlled possession for much of the second half. In the 56th minute, Allen nearly got a goal off a Phoenix corner kick, his header begin punched away by ODU goalie Victory Fancoz. Elon racked up 10 corner kicks, nine coming in the second period.

Finally in the 64th minute, the Phoenix cut the Monarch lead in half. Latigue served an Elon corner in the box where it was headed away. Senior midfielder James Carroll settled the ball, turned and found the bottom left corner from about 15 yards out.

Shortly after, rookie Jason Waterman rocketed a long shot that sailed just wide left of the goal and ODU continued to cling to the lead until the Allen equalizer in the 89th minute.

Both goalkeepers posted five saves in the contest. Smith had a game-high seven shots and Latigue attempted a team-high four shots.

Elon will look to rebound from the loss when it travels to Radford for a 6 p.m. kick on Saturday, September 24.