| Elon Phoenix (7-2-1) vs. UNCW Seahawks (4-5-1) |
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| Elon Phoenix (7-2-1) vs. James Madison Dukes (5-4-0) |
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| Notes and Social Media Coverage |
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ELON, N.C. – Elon University women's soccer opens Colonial Athletic Association play this week at Rudd Field, beginning with UNCW on Thursday night, Sept. 21, on Latin Night at 7 p.m., followed by James Madison on Sunday, Sept. 24, at 1 p.m.
LATIN NIGHT
Elon women's soccer is teaming up with El Centro de Español at Elon University to celebrate Hispanic Heritage month, which began on Sept. 15 and lasts until Oct. 15. The night will be full of Latin music, fun, good food, and the game of soccer. The event will begin prior to kickoff at 6 p.m. and food will be served starting at 6:30 p.m. For more information about Latin Night,
click here.
FOLLOW THE PHOENIX
Updates on the Phoenix's matches against the Seahawks and the Dukes will be provided on Twitter at the handle
@elonscores or the program's handle,
@ElonWSoccer. Watch both matches live on
Phoenix All-Access. You can also follow the action for both matches with live stats.
SERIES HISTORY
The Phoenix has faced both CAA teams a combined 15 times. While UNCW has been a team Elon has faced often, the Phoenix and Dukes have only faced each other since Elon joined the CAA in 2014.
UNCW
Thursday's matchup will be the 14th meeting between Elon and UNCW. While the Seahawks hold the edge, each of the last three contest between the two sides have been close. UNCW came out on top last season with a 2-1 overtime victory on Oct. 23, 2016, in the final match of the regular season for the Phoenix.
Kendall Ballotti was the Elon player to score against the Seahawks last season.
James Madison
Elon and James Madison will meet for just the fourth time on Sunday afternoon. The Dukes lead the all-time series and defeated the Phoenix 3-1 last season on Sept. 25, 2016, at Rudd Field.
Kennedy Little was Elon's lone goal scorer in the match.
OFFENSIVE FIRE POWER
Elon has scored 23 goals, which is the most in the CAA and ranked nationally tied for 12th in NCAA Division I women's soccer thus far. With that total, the Phoenix is averaging 2.30 goals per game this season. Offensively, Elon is creating chances leading the league in assists as a team with 20 in eight matches.
Meredith Christopher leads the CAA with 13 total points and is tied with
Susannah Anderson for the league lead with four 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.
ABOUT ELON
Elon scored 11 goals in its four-match win streak and is coming off two road wins at UNC Asheville (2-1) and Davidson (2-0). 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.
Meredith Christopher is tied with Anderson for the team lead in goals (4) and has a team-high five assists this season. Additionally,
Tori Baliatico (3), Ballotti (2),
Carson Jones (2),
Sydney Schilling, Reena Wichmann,
Grace Bennett,
Lauren McKeever,
Hannah Doherty,
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.
Out of the 19 returners, nine players made starts in nine or more matches in 2016. Highlighting the returners is Ballotti who was named to the All-CAA First Team last season. The Phoenix returns four of its top five scorers from last season Ballotti,
Tori Baliatico,
Sydney Schilling, and 2016 All-CAA Rookie Team selection
Taylor Paradoski.
Susannah Anderson, Elon's top assist leader last year, also returns to Elon's back line at center back. Elon brought 10 newcomers into the fold,
Valentina Estrada,
Reena Wichmann,
Hailey Tucker,
Ashley Rumley,
Kara Kimberl,
Carson Jones,
Meredith Christopher,
Olivia Kraebel,
Avery Gardner, and
Caylin Meikrantz.
BALIATICO, WICHMANN AND CHRISTOPHER EARN WEEKLY HONORS
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. On Thursday night 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 on Sunday, 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.
Freshman forward
Meredith Christopher was 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 was also named an Honorable Mention on TopDrawerSoccer.com's Team of the Week.
BALLOTTI AND BENNETT HONORED
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 UNCW
The Seahawks (4-5-1) are coming off a 2-1 victory over Campbell. UNCW is unbeaten in three of its last four matches, which includes a win over Appalachian State and a draw against Old Dominion. Freshman midfielder Molly McGarry has received the CAA's Rookie-of-the-Week award in each of the last two weeks, scoring three of her four goals in the last four games. UNCW will be facing an opponent from the State of North Carolina for the sixth time in the last seven games when the Seahawks travel to face Elon.
SCOUTING JAMES MADISON
The Dukes (5-4-0) looks to bounce back after suffering a 2-1 overtime loss to George Washington on Sunday. James Madison got off the a good start this season winning three of its first four games with victories over Providence, Villanova and Richmond. Haley Crawford currently leads the team with five goals and is tied for the lead in assists with three this season. Lizzy Lazzaro is right behind her with four goals to her name and was named CAA Defensive Player of the Week on Aug. 28.
UP NEXT
The Phoenix his the road for week two of conference play with trips to Towson on Thursday, Sept. 28, at 3 p.m. and College of Charleston on Sunday, Oct. 1, at 1 p.m.
--ELON--
