DURHAM, N.C. – Myles Mansfield and Jason Waterman each scored a pair of goals late in the second half as the Elon men's soccer team pulled out a 2-1 win over Rutgers on Sunday, Sept. 1, on the final day of the John Reinne Nike Invitational at Koskinen Stadium. 

Elon (1-0-1) earned its first win of 2013 in its first-ever meeting against the Scarlet Knights (0-1-1). The Phoenix and the Scarlet Knights were knotted at nine shots apiece, but Elon had a 5-1 advantage in the second period. Rutgers won the overall battle in corners, 6-2.

Elon nearly had the first points of the match around the 10^th minute. Nick Butterly took a cross from Charles Howard on the left side of the post and found a streaking Waterman coming down the middle of the box, but the keeper was able to corral the ball.

Five minutes later, Scarlet Knights' forward Kene Eze broke free from the Phoenix backline and almost put Rutgers on the board, but Elon goalkeeper Nathan Dean managed to get his hands on the ball and knock it out of play.

Dean again found himself alone facing Eze as the Rutgers forward moved towards him down the right side of the box at the 27^th minute, but his shot went high over the post.

In the 33^rd minute, Rutgers scored the first goal of the match to move ahead 1-0. Eze had his shot within the box deflected by an Elon defender, but the rebound found RU's Nathan Bruccoleri, who fired a strike from 12 yards out for the goal.

Elon managed to get one final shot before intermission, but RU keeper David Greczek stopped Cauê Da Silva's attempt in the 38^th minute and both teams went into the half with the score at 1-0. Rutgers outshot Elon eight to four in the opening stanza and had a 5-1 advantage on corners.

During the second half, the maroon and gold turned up the pressure on the Scarlet Knights' back line. At the 55^th minute, Elon earned a corner kick, but Butterly's header went high of the goal. Waterman nearly had the equalizer five minutes later on another shot, but his strike hit the post.

The Phoenix finally got on board in the 76^th minute as Mansfield had the equalizer from the top of the box from 18 yards away after getting a feed from Matt Wescoe. Two minutes later, Waterman was able to put Elon in front on a breakaway goal again from 18 yards out and gave the maroon and gold a 2-1 lead.

Elon managed to prevent Rutgers from answering with the game-tying goal and emerged unbeaten from the prestigious tournament with Butterly, Waterman and sophomore Miguel Salazar selected to the All-Tournament team. The win was also the 80^th for Elon head coach Darren Powell at the school. 

The Phoenix travels to Wilmington, N.C., next weekend, Sept. 6-8, for its second early-season tournament at the UNCW Classic. Elon faces Mercer on Friday, Sept. 6, at 5 p.m. for its first match before closing out the tournament against Presbyterian on Sunday, Sept. 8, at 1 p.m.