Box Score SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Behind a Catherine Brinkman goal in the 54^th minute, the Elon University women's soccer team defeated Wofford, 1-0, on Friday, Nov. 8, in the semifinals of the Southern Conference Championship Tournament and advanced to its first SoCon championship match in school history.

The No. 2 seed Phoenix (13-2-6) will face No. 1 seed Furman in the championship game on Sunday, Nov. 10, at Snyder Field after eliminating host Wofford (8-5-6). The Paladins had defeated Samford earlier in the day, 2-0, to advance to the championship round.

"We're really excited," said Elon head coach Chris Neal. "This is our first championship game in the Southern Conference and I'm super happy for this group. We're going to enjoy it tonight and then switch gears to prepare for a Furman team has done well this year with 15 wins."

Both teams were evenly matched in the opening stanza with the Phoenix holding a slight 2-1 advantage in shots, but neither came on frame. Both teams attempted one corner, but neither set piece generated any offensive opportunities and the teams went into the half scoreless.

"My hat goes off to (head coach) Amy Kiah and her Wofford team," Neal added. "There are extremely good and defend with a lot more passion than any team I've faced in the past."
 
The Phoenix had a great opportunity to put the first points on the board in the 50^th minute. Jennifer McGorty played a cross and delivered a pass to Brinkman on the left side of the box, but the strike went to high of the goal.

Four minutes later, the senior found the back of the net on a strike from 25 yards away to give the Phoenix a 1-0 lead. It was the seventh score of the year for the Clearwater, Fla., native as she found the top right corner of the goal unassisted.

In the 86^th minute, the Phoenix's Nicole Dennion drew a foul on Wofford after being taken down in the box and gave the Elon a chance go up 2-0 with a penalty kick coming up. Brinkman drew the assignment, but the follow again went high giving life to the Terriers.

The Phoenix defense however would prevent Wofford from even getting a shot off in the final minutes and the maroon and gold earned its seventh clean sheet of the season. Keepers Sydney Branson and Kate Murphy split time between the posts, with Murphy making the lone save on the night.

The Phoenix and the Paladins are scheduled for a 1 p.m. kickoff on Sunday. The match will broadcast on ESPN3.