Elon 3, UNCW 1 Rudd Field // Elon, N.C.

Elon players Jason Waterman and Daniel Lovitz talk about the 3-1 win over UNCW in the Phoenix's 2013 home opener

ELON, N.C. – Behind a pair of goals and an assist from junior forward Jason Waterman, the Elon men's soccer team earned its fourth straight victory as the Phoenix defeated UNC Wilmington, 3-1, on Saturday night, Sept. 14, at Rudd Field.

Waterman was the driving force offensively for Elon (4-0-1) and helped the maroon and gold to a win in its 2013 home opener against the Seahawks (3-2). Elon held a slim advantage in shots (12-11), but outshot the Seahawks 6-2 in the opening half. UNCW had a 6-4 overall lead in corners, but none were converted into points for the Seahawks.

Waterman scored his first goal of the match off a Daniel Lovitz cross into the box which he put past the keeper to give Elon a 1-0 lead at the 29^th minute. 

Later in the half, Waterman played a ball from Nick Butterly and took it down the right side of the field and found Matt Wescoe racing down the middle of the box. Wescoe sent a nice touch pass to Lovitz on the left side and converted a shot from 10-yards out that gave Elon a 2-0 edge over UNCW at the 34^th minute.

The score would remain unchanged for the remainder of the opening stanza, but Elon quickly tacked on to the score just minutes after the start of the second period. In the 47^th minute, Waterman took a cross from Wescoe on the right side of the box and fired a shot that initially hit the right post, but the ball trickled across the line to push the Phoenix's advantage to 3-0.

UNCW did not go away quietly as the Seahawks turned up the offensive pressure and nearly had some shots go their way. A score by UNCW's Mateo Cardona in the 77^th minute finally put the Seahawks on the board and trim the score to 3-1.
 
Despite the 9-6 shot advantage for the Seahawks in the second half, UNCW could not cut the score any closer as Elon moved forward with its the win in front of its home fans for the first time all season.
 
Elon returns to the home pitch on Tuesday, Sept 17, as the Phoenix welcomes No. 15 Wake Forest to Rudd Field for a 7 p.m. match. The Phoenix upset the then 13^th-ranked Demon Deacons, 1-0, in last year's meeting in Elon.