HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – The Elon University men's soccer team battled valiantly, but ultimately fell to No. 13 Hofstra in the 2021 Colonial Athletic Association Championship match, 3-2 on Sunday, Nov. 14, at Hofstra Soccer Stadium.
 
Elon (9-8-2) held a 1-0 lead after the opening stanza, but a pair of goals during a four-minute stretch to begin the second half led to the Pride (16-1-2) taking control of the match. After Hofstra added another goal in the 78^th minute to push its lead to two, Elon rallied to cut its deficit one on a goal by Jack Edwards in the 78^th minute, but its efforts would fall short in its first championship match since 2013.
 
The Rundown
Elon opened the game with an early 1-0 lead inside the sixth minute. The Phoenix earned a corner kick with Scott Vatne sending the ball into the box on the set piece. Jannik Videbaek was able to head the ball towards the back post where Vemund Hole Vik was left unmarked and headed in his first score of the season.
 
Hofstra responded by putting pressure on the Phoenix defense and goalkeeper Peter Wentzel for the remainder of the half. The Pride had four shot attempts on target in the opening stanza, but Wentzel was there to keep the clean sheet intact in the first period.
 
The Phoenix had a few chances to double its lead with three shots on goal. Vatne found himself free after a long run to take a shot from about 20 yards, but it was corralled by Hofstra. Jack Edwards also had a try stopped by the keeper in the 22^nd minute while Hole Vik almost added a brace in the 36^th minute, but a tough shot by the junior led to an easy save.
 
The Pride went into the break with a 10-4 shot advantage and also had a 6-1 lead in corners, but the Phoenix defense was able to force tough looks while making timely saves to keep the shutout.
 
Hofstra would get on the scoreboard inside the 52^nd minute to tie the match. Matthew Vowinkel headed in a cross to level the match at 1-1. Nearly four minutes later, the Pride would take the lead in the match on a free kick from Stefan Mason, putting Elon in a 2-1 disadvantage.
 
Another Hofstra goal in the 71^st minute by Vowinkel put the Pride ahead 3-1, but the Phoenix continued its fight to bring the match back to one in the 78^th minute. Edwards was able to put in his sixth goal of the season off a rebound from a Videbaek's shot, cutting Elon's deficit to 3-2.
 
The Phoenix nearly had the equalizer with a couple of looks in the final 10 minutes. A header by Christian Lauenborg went high over the goal after a Phoenix corner kick in the 81^st minute. Elon's final look came in the 89^th minute as Edwards and Jack Dolk both raced to a loose ball inside the box with Dolk getting a foot on it to beat the keeper. The try sailed high of the goal however as the Pride held off the Phoenix's rally to secure its first championship since 2015.
 
 
Notes
• This is Elon's first loss in a conference tournament final since 2009 when it fell 2-1 to Wofford in the Southern Conference Championship.
• Videbaek, Vatne and Ben Rosenblatt were named to the CAA All-Tournament Team.
• Hofstra outshot Elon, 17-11, but both teams were even in shot attempts in the second half at 7-7. The Pride also had a slight 8-7 edge in shots on goal.
• Hole Vik and Vatne led the Phoenix with three shots each.
• Wentzel ended the match with three total saves while the Phoenix added two more as a team.