HIGH POINT, N.C. – The Elon University men's soccer team was able to rally from a two-goal deficit late in the second half with just 10 men, but the Phoenix's comeback fell just short at Triad rival High Point as the Panthers came away with a 3-2 victory on Wednesday night, Sept. 15, at Vert Stadium.
 
Elon (3-3) rallied with a pair of goals with under 10 minutes left in regulation to tie the match at 2-2, but High Point (2-3) scored the golden goal in the 96^th minute of overtime. The Phoenix played the match with 10 men after being given a red card in the 30^th minute of the contest.
 
The Rundown
The Phoenix had an early shot on goal in the 14^th minute. Jalen Weatherspoon found himself open for a shot at the top of the box and fired an attempt that went to the low center of the goal. High Point keeper Holden Trent was able to make the save to keep the match scoreless.
 
The Panthers however tallied the first score of the match off a Phoenix handball in the box at the 30^th minute. High Point was rewarded a penalty kick which was converted by the Panthers' Sebastian Chalbaud to put HPU ahead 1-0. The foul also resulted in an immediate red card on Elon, forcing the Phoenix to play the rest of the match a man down.
 
Despite being down a man, Elon won the shot battle in the first stanza, 4-3. High Point blanked the Phoenix in corners 2-0 in the opening session.
 
At the start of the second half, High Point continued to put pressure on the Phoenix short-handed defense with the Panthers doubling its lead in the 64^th minute. HPU's Caco Fernandez converted on his first goal of the season to put Elon down 2-0.
 
With just under 10 minutes left in the match, the Phoenix was able to answer to tie the match. Jack Dolk scored his first career goal for the Phoenix after beating the keeper on a shot on the back post in the 82^nd minute to pull Elon within one.
 
Nearly two minutes later, the Phoenix leveled the match at two-all. Elon was rewarded a free kick which Dolk sent into the box. In the ensuing scrum off the set piece, Victor Stromsten was able to push the ball past the goal line to tie the game.
 
Elon nearly had the go-ahead goal with under a minute left in the match. The Phoenix played a ball off a free kick which was headed towards the six-yard area where it found the foot of Zack DiDonato. The Burlingame, Calif., native fired a shot, but Trent was able to deflect it away as the game moved into extras.
 
Two minutes into overtime, High Point caught the Phoenix defense out of position and fired the ball into the left corner past a diving Cam Pelle in goal for Elon. Elon's Josh Francombe was able to recover and knock the ball away before it crossed the goal line to keep the match tied at 2-2.
 
High Point got another chance in the 96^th minute and this time came away with the golden goal. The Panthers' Alex Abril took a quick shot off an HPU throw in and pushed the ball towards the far left corner to seal the win.
 
Notes
• The Panthers outshot the Phoenix, 13-11, with a 7-5 advantage on shots on target. High Point also edged the maroon and gold in corners, 4-3.
• Elon had a season-high 11 substitutes in the match with six players (Paul Tilly, Calle Edelstam, Josh Francombe, Uli Schmidt, Seth Hammond and Sam Durand) seeing action for the first time this season.
• Pelle made his second start in goal on the season and made three saves on the match while playing every minute between the posts.
 
Up Next
The Phoenix travels to College of Charleston for its next contest this Saturday, Sept. 18. That match is scheduled for a 2 p.m. start time.