ELON, N.C. – The Elon University women's soccer team returns to action this week with a pair of matches against Clemson and 13th-ranked West Virginia. The Phoenix hosts Clemson on Friday night, Aug. 29, at Rudd Field before traveling to Morgantown, W.Va., to face the Mountaineers on Sunday, Aug. 31.
ELON VS. CLEMSON: Friday night marks the first meeting between the Phoenix and Tigers. However, it is not the first meeting between Elon head coach Chris Neal and Clemson head coach Eddie Radwanski. The two squared off for several years in the Southern Conference when Radwanski was the head coach at UNCG from 2001-10. Clemson is ranked just outside the national top-25 and holds a No. 6 ranking in the South Region.
ELON VS. WEST VIRGINIA: Sunday afternoon marks the first meeting between Elon and WVU. The two teams have one common opponent on this year's schedule – Hofstra. The Mountaineers host Duke on Friday night before taking on the Phoenix this Sunday.
GOAL STREAK: The Elon women's soccer team has scored a goal in every match dating back to its double-overtime 1-0 loss to Georgia Southern in the 2012 Southern Conference Tournament, a streak that spans 24 matches. Elon scored in every match last season and in both matches so far this season.
FIRST CAA EVENT: The Elon women's soccer team played the university's first athletic contest as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association on Friday, Aug. 22. The Phoenix came away with a 2-0 win over Jacksonville State behind goals from Grace Bennett (10') and Mel Insley (66').
HEAD COACH CHRIS NEAL: Elon head coach
Chris Neal is in his seventh season with the Phoenix. The 2012 Southern Conference Coach of the Year, Neal enters Friday's match with a 60-33-21 career record.
LOOKING BACK: Elon went 1-1 last week following a 2-0 win over Jacksonville State on Aug. 22 and a 3-1 setback to Appalachian State on Aug. 24.
LOOKING AHEAD: Following this week's matches, Elon plays its next two games at High Point (Sept. 5) and at East Carolina (Sept. 7). The Phoenix then travels to Wilmington, N.C., on Sept. 12-14 to face Coastal Carolina and Francis Marion as part of the UNCW Hilton Garden Inn Mayfaire Invitational.
-- ELON --
