| Elon Phoenix (8-4-4, 1-2-3 CAA) vs. Hofstra Pride (11-3-2, 7-0-0 CAA) |
|
| Notes and Social Media Coverage |
|
ELON, N.C. – The Elon University women's soccer team returns to action against league-leading Hofstra on Sunday, Oct. 15, at 12:30 p.m. at Hofstra Soccer Stadium after the Phoenix had its bye in conference action on Thursday.
FOLLOW THE PHOENIX
Updates on the Phoenix's matches against the Pride will be provided on Twitter at the handle
@elonscores or the program's handle,
@ElonWSoccer. Watch both matches live on
Phoenix All-Access and you can also follow the action for both matches with live stats.
SERIES HISTORY
The Phoenix has only faced Hofstra since joining the CAA in 2014. Sunday afternoon's contest will be the fourth meeting between the Phoenix and the Pride. Hofstra leads the series 3-0-0. The Pride claimed a 3-1 victory last season on Oct. 7, 2016 in Hempstead, N.Y.
OFFENSIVE FIRE POWER
Elon has scored 32 goals, which is the most in the CAA and ranked 22nd nationally in NCAA Division I women's soccer. Offensively, Elon is creating chances leading the league in assists as a team with 29 in 16 matches, which is ranked in the top-50 (T-28th) nationally.
Meredith Christopher is first in the CAA with 22 total points, ranks first in the conference with eight assists, and is tied for third in the league with seven goals. The Phoenix got off to a fast start scoring six goals across the first two games of the regular season, which tied for the fifth-most in program history to open a season. It is the most in a two-game span to start a season since Elon scored nine goals in 1993, before anyone on the current roster was born. Elon was also unbeaten on opening weekend for the first time since 2013.
NEAL MILESTONE
Head coach
Chris Neal won the 125th game of his head coaching career on Sunday, Oct. 1, at College of Charleston. He currently has 89 wins as a head coach at Elon. He also won 36 games while he was the head men's soccer coach at Pfeiffer University for three seasons (1998-2000) and leading the program to a national ranking of 13th at the NCAA Division II level.
ABOUT ELON
Elon picked up two points in league action last week at Rudd Fueld with a 2-2 draw against William & Mary and a 3-3 tie on Sunday afternoon against reigning CAA Champion Northeastern.
Meredith Christopher led the way with two goals and two assists during the week of matches to earn CAA Rookie of the Week honors. The Phoenix finds itself in a tie for seventh in the CAA standings with three matches remaining. The top six teams from the standings make the CAA Women's Soccer Championships starting in October. Elon is just two points away from moving into the top-six in the standings.
The Phoenix got off to a fast start this season with three wins in its first four games, which included two road wins in Florida to open the season and a home-opening win against Chattanooga on Rudd Field.
Susannah Anderson scored in four straight matches from Aug. 20-31, becoming the first Elon player to do so since Nicole Dennion in 2013. The Phoenix has had 13 different goal scorers this season, which is the second most in a season during the program's Division I era since 1999. Christopher leads the team with seven goals this season and has a team-high eight assists. Additionally,
Susannah Anderson (4),
Tori Baliatico (3),
Carson Jones (3),
Kendall Ballotti (3), Reena Wichmann (3),
Hannah Doherty (2),
Lauren McKeever (2),
Sydney Schilling,
Grace Bennett,
Laura Mitchell,
Rakel Jonsdottir and
Taylor Paradoski have all scored this season.
Head coach
Chris Neal, the winningest coach in program history, has begun his 10th season with the Phoenix, which returns 19 players from the 2016 campaign. Elon brought 10 newcomers into the fold,
Valentina Estrada, Wichmann,
Hailey Tucker,
Ashley Rumley,
Kara Kimberl, Jones, Christopher,
Olivia Kraebel,
Avery Gardner, and
Caylin Meikrantz.
CHRISTOPHER EARN WEEKLY HONORS
Freshman forward
Meredith Christopher earned her second weekly honor from the league last week, collecting CAA Rookie of the Week honors, after scoring two goals and adding two assists for six total points during Elon's draws against William & Mary and Northeastern. The Fort Mill, S.C. native leads the league with eight assists and is third in the CAA with seven goals this season. Christopher was also named the CAA Player of the Week on Monday, Aug. 21, after scoring four goals and adding an assist during Elon's 2-0 opening week. Christopher scored her first-career hat trick and the first by an Elon player since Nicole Dennion in 2013. It was also the first season-opening hat trick by a Phoenix since Kate Schabo in 2002. Christopher scored her first three goals in just under 16 minutes to help the Phoenix defeat North Florida, 4-2, on Friday, Aug. 18. The Fort Mill, S.C. native also added a goal and her first-career assist in Elon's 2-1 win against Jacksonville on Sunday. Christopher also collected an Honorable Mention honor on TopDrawerSoccer.com's Team of the Week for her opening week performance.
BALIATICO, WICHMANN RECONIZED BY THE CAA ????
Tori Balitatico earned her first-career CAA weekly honor on Monday, Sept. 18, after scoring three goals for six total points during two road contests at UNC Asheville and Davidson. Against the Bulldogs, the Scotch Plains, N.J., native recorded her second career two-goal performance scoring twice in the first half to help the Phoenix earn a 2-1 victory. Baliatico then scored in a 2-0 victory at Davidson, scoring in the 54th minute to secure Elon's win.
Freshman midfielder Reena Wichmann was named the CAA Rookie of the Week on Monday, Sept. 11, after scoring her first-career goal and added an assist during Elon's wins against Richmond and High Point. She assisted Elon's opening goal in a 2-1 victory on the road at Richmond and scored in the first 42 seconds against High Point to lead the Phoenix to a 5-1 victory against the Panthers.
BALLOTTI AND BENNETT EARN PRESEASON RECOGNITION
Seniors
Kendall Ballotti and
Grace Bennett received Preseason All-CAA Honorable Mention honors from the league. Ballotti was a All-CAA First Team selection as a junior in 2016 after scoring three goals and adding one assist for seven total points at the center back position. She also logged a team-high 1,581 minutes and became program's first All-CAA First Team selection. Ballotti anchored a back line that posted three CAA shutouts last season, which ranked second in the league. Bennett earned Preseason All-CAA recognition after starting in all 18 matches she played in last season. Starting in the central midfield, Bennett clocked 1,367 minutes of action, scoring a goal and adding an assist.
BREAKING DOWN HOFSTRA
The Pride (11-3-2, 7-0-0 CAA) extended its win streak to eight matches on Thursday with a 1-0 win against reigning CAA Champion Northeastern. Over its 10-match unbeaten run, Hofstra has outscored its opponents, 18-2. Sophomore Rachel Cardinal and junior Madeline Anderson each had a goal and an assist during the Pride's 2-0 week last week, with Anderson earning CAA Defensive Player of the Week after playing all 180 minutes on the back line in the pair of shutouts. The Pride set the NCAA record for most corners in a game on Sunday against James Madison with 26. Goalkeepers Jenna Borresen and Ashley Wilson have teamed up for eight clean sheets on the season and a team goals-against average of 0.704.
UP NEXT
The Phoenix closes out the regular season next week with a split of road and home matches. Elon starts the final week with a trip to Delaware on Thursday, Oct. 19, for a 7 p.m. match, followed by a return to Rudd Field for its regular season finale and Senior Day on Sunday, Oct. 22, at 1 p.m. against Drexel.
--ELON--
