No. 23 Elon 1, No. 9 Wake Forest 0 Rudd Field // Elon, N.C.

Elon head coach Darren Powell, senior Daniel Lovitz and junior Nathan Dean discuss the Phoenix's upset win over Wake Forest.

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ELON, N.C. – Behind a six-save performance from junior keeper Nathan Dean, the No. 23 Elon men's soccer team remained unbeaten in 2013 after the Phoenix upset No. 9 Wake Forest, 1-0, on Tuesday night, Sept. 17, on its home pitch at Rudd Field.
 
Senior Daniel Lovitz scored the game-winner in the 46^th minute for the Phoenix, who improved to 5-0-1 on the year. Dean earned his 12^th career shutout with his best performance of the season as he played every minute between the posts.
 
The win was the Phoenix's third straight over the Demon Deacons (3-2) with the last two coming at Rudd Field. It was also the second time that Wake Forest was shutout this season with the previous clean sheet coming in the Demon Deacons' season-opening 1-0 loss to Coastal Carolina.
 
In the opening stanza, the Demon Deacons dominated the ball and outshot the Phoenix, 5-2. The Phoenix did earn a slight edge in corners, 3-2, but neither team could break through on the scoreboard in the first period.
 
Elon's biggest test came in the 29^th minute of the match where Demon Deacons' forward Sean Okoli attempted a shot within the box before Dean turned him away. The ball found the foot of Luca Gimenez on the rebound, but Dean again made the save.
 
Lovitz nearly put the Phoenix on the board in the 41^st minute, but his bending shot from the left side of the box went wide and the game went into the half knotted at 0-0.
 
The maroon and gold broke through just seconds after the beginning of the second session as Lovitz played a ball from Matt Wescoe and Cauê Da Silva and tucked a shot far inside the right post to give Elon a 1-0 advantage. It was the second goal in as many games for Lovitz and his second game-winner of the year.
 
Wake Forest continued to put the offensive pressure on the Phoenix back six, but Elon nearly went up 2-0 with three chances in the 77^th minute. Lovitz had a 10-yard shot blocked by a Demon Deacon defender that led to a Phoenix corner kick. Wescoe was able to play the ball and nearly put a shot near the top of the post, but the keeper Andrew Harris knocked it out of bounds. On the following corner kick, Jason Waterman's attempt went high and the score remained 1-0.
 
With nearly five minutes left in the match, the Demon Deacons earned a free kick for a chance at the equalizer. Gimenez's shot at the 85^th minute nearly went inside the far right post, but Dean was able to make a great diving stop to preserve to score.
 
Wake Forest outshot Elon overall, 12-6, in the match including a 6-3 edge on goal. The Demon Deacons also held a 6-5 advantage in corners. 
 
No. 23 Elon returns to Rudd Field on Friday, Sept. 20, to host William & Mary with kick off scheduled for 7:30 p.m.