HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – In a matchup featuring the two teams tied atop the Colonial Athletic Association standings, the Elon University men's soccer team came out on top with a 3-1 road victory at Hofstra on Saturday, Oct. 15 at Hofstra Soccer Stadium.
 
The win earned the Phoenix (8-3-2, 5-1-1 CAA) its 16^th point in league play and sole possession of first place in the conference standings. The victory also clinched the maroon and gold a spot in the CAA tournament over the Pride (9-3-1, 4-2-1 CAA).
 
"A brilliant team performance and win," said Elon head coach Marc Reeves. "Hofstra is such a strong and well-coached team. To come here and win convincingly is really hard to do. Our group prepared really well and then we executed the parts of the game you need to get right on the road against a good team."
 
THE RUNDOWN
• The Phoenix was tested early inside the third minute of action. Eliot Goldthorp got off a shot inside the box, but Phoenix netminder Ryan Bilichuk was able to make the save.
• Elon's first chance in the opening session came off a Hofstra turnover near midfield in the 23^rd minute. Majaliwa Msabaha made a great tackle to deflect the ball towards Scott Vatne, who saw the keeper off his line as he crossed midfield. Looking to take advantage of the netminder out of position, the Klepp, Norway, native fired the 30-plus yard shot that nearly chipped in over Hofstra's Wessel Speel in goal, but Speel was able to knock it out of play.
• In the final seconds of the first half, the Phoenix had Speel out of position again as the keeper played Vatne just inside the six-yard box. Vatne looked to sneak the ball past Speel again, but was denied as the goalie corralled the ball out of the air.
• The Phoenix finally found the evasive first goal in the 53^rd minute. Vemund Hole Vik scored off a deflection near the far post in the box to put Elon ahead 1-0.
• Hofstra nearly leveled the match just over 10 minutes later. The Pride earned a free kick just outside the 18-yard box and serviced a ball that headed towards the upper left corner of the goal. Bilichuk managed to get a hand on it to deflect it off the post before eventually securing it after a scrum in the box.
• Elon doubled its lead just outside the 80^th minute. Victor Stromsten headed in his first goal of the season on a corner kick serviced by Vatne to put the maroon and gold ahead 2-0.
• Just two minutes later, Vatne himself would add his name to the scoring column. Speel had a misplaced pass just outside the box that was stolen by Vatne, who was able to chip it past the defense for his third goal of the season and a commanding 3-0 advantage for the maroon and gold.
• Hofstra added a goal with just two seconds remaining in the match after a foul was called inside the box to reward the Pride with a penalty kick. Ryan Carmichael converted to prevent the Phoenix from earning its ninth shutout of the season.
 
NOTES
• The win was Elon's first-ever over Hofstra moving its all-time record to 1-7-1 against the Pride.
• Elon's win also snapped Hofstra's eight-game unbeaten streak and four-game winning streak. The Pride's last defeat came on Sept. 3 against fellow Long Island rival Stony Brook.
• After going the previous two games without a goal, Elon matched its season-high with three today. The three goals are also the most the Pride have allowed in a single game this season.
• Stromsten became the 17^th different goal scorer for the Phoenix this season with his first of the year.
 
UP NEXT
The Phoenix is set to host in-state and ACC foe North Carolina on its home pitch at Rudd Field on Tuesday, Oct. 18 with kickoff set for 7 p.m.